§ Mr. DarlingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for British citizenship under section 4(5) of the British Nationality Act 1981 have been(a) made, (b) granted and (c) refused in each quarter since January 1989; and how many of those granted have been on the grounds of service in the armed forces.
§ Mr. Peter LloydThe information is not readily available in the form requested. The total number of applications to date in each category, with equivalent figures up to July 1989 in brackets, is as follows:
§ Mr. Peter LloydThe only information requested which is available centrally is that on applications granted and refused in Hong Kong, and is given in the table.
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Applications in Hong Kong for entry clearance to the United Kingdom Number of persons Applications Granted1 Refused initially Wives 1989 1st quarter 40 — 2nd quarter 60 — 3rd quarter 40 — 4th quarter 50 3— 1990 1st quarter 60 3— Husbands, fiancés2 1989 1st quarter 20 — 2nd quarter 20 3— 3rd quarter 30 3— 4th quarter 20 3— 1990 1st quarter 20 3— Fiancées 1989 1st quarter 10 — 2nd quarter 10 — 3rd quarter 10 — 4th quarter 3— — 1990 1st quarter 10 — 1Granted initially or on appeal. 2Data for husbands and fiancés separately are not available. 35 or fewer.
§ Mr. DarlingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what was the total number of passengers detained overnight under Immigration Act powers during 1989, by nationality; and how many of these were under 18 years old;
(2) how many people, by nationality, were detained (a) overnight and (b) for a period of more than one month in (i) Harmondsworth detention centre, (ii) the Queen's building, Heathrow, (iii) the Beehive, Gatwick, and (iv) Her Majesty's prison, Haslar, during 1989.
§ Mr. Peter LloydMost of the readily available information relates to the number of passengers whose detention spanned at least one night pending further examination of their application for admission to, or their removal from, the United Kingdom and is given in the tables. The remaining information is not available in the form requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
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Table 1—Passengers1 detained overnight, by nationality and geographical region, 1989 Nationality/Geographical Region Number2 European Community Belgium 2 Denmark — France 8 German Federal Republic 6 Greece 1 Italy 4 Luxembourg — Netherlands 8 Portugal 38 Spain 31 European Community 98 389W
Nationality/Geographical Region Number2 Western Europe Austria 19 Cyprus 80 Finland 14 Malta 14 Norway 26 Sweden 28 Switzerland 18 Turkey 1,515 Yugoslavia 304 Western Europe 2,018 Eastern Europe Bulgaria 3 Czechoslovakia 3 German Federal Republic 3 Hungary 2 Poland 95 Romania 2 USSR 9 Eastern Europe 117 Americas Argentina 7 Barbados 12 Brazil 160 Canada 24 Chile 30 Colombia 176 Cuba — Guyana 16 Jamaica 282 Mexico 64 Peru 23 Trinidad and Tobago 24 United States of America 185 Uruguay 4 Venezuela 6 Americas 1,013 Africa Algeria 1,276 Egypt 36 Ethiopia 149 Ghana 462 Kenya 69 Libya 21 Mauritius 50 Morocco 594 Nigeria 745 Sierra Leone 102 Somalia 848 South Africa 60 Sudan 24 Tanzania 57 Tunisia 103 Uganda 670 Zambia 32 Zimbabwe 35 Africa 5,333 Indian sub-continent Bangladesh 316 India 236 Pakistan 330 Indian sub-continent 882 Middle East Iran 156 Iraq 111 Israel 57 Jordan 15
Nationality/Geographical Region Number2 Kuwait 4 Lebanon 61 Saudi Arabia 6 Syria 1 Middle East 411 Remainder of Asia China 28 Indonesia 8 Japan 39 Malaysia 109 Philippines 22 Singapore 17 Sri Lanka 409 Thailand 14 Hong Kong (BDTCs and BN(O)s 34 Remainder of Asia 680 Australasia Australia 18 New Zealand 14 Australasia 32 British Overseas Citizens 14 Other countries not elsewhere specified 549 Stateless 265 All Nationalities 11,412 2 Some illegal entrants and deportees are included. 2 The figures include a small amount of double counting when a person is detained at more than one location.
Table 2—Passengers1 detained overnight in certain locations, 1989 Location Number Harmondsworth 23,419 Queen's Building 2,574 Gatwick South (virtually all at the Beehive) 2,822 Haslar 547 1 All figures, except for the Queen's Building and Haslar, exclude illegal entrants and deportees. 2 Some passengers who were detained elsewhere prior to being detained at Harmondsworth are excluded.
§ Mr. DarlingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the(a) passengers in total and (b) persons treated as illegal entrants who were granted temporary admission in 1989 subsequently absconded; and how many subsequently (i) contacted the immigration authorities themselves or (ii) were traced.
§ Mr. Peter LloydThe available information relates to the number of persons who absconded; either from detention or by failing to respond to the terms of temporary admission/release, and is as follows:
Absconders in 1989 Category of person Number Passengers 1475 Illegal entrants 2184 1 Includes some illegal entrants. 2 Includes those illegal entrants in "passenger absconders". The distinction between those absconding from detention and those failing to respond to the terms of temporary admission/release as well as information 390W regarding those who either contacted the immigration authorities or were traced is not recorded centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. DarlingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff were employed in the nationality division to process nationality applications in each month since April 1989.
§ Mr. Peter LloydThe numbers of staff in caseworking groups in the nationality division, including the Liverpool nationality office, involved in processing applications for citizenship were as follows:
Numbers 1989 April 268.5 May 266.5 June 283.5 July 281.5 August 284.0 September 277.0 October 284.0 November 280.5 December 280.5 1990 January 273.0 February 262.0 March 261.5 April 240.0 May 221.0 June 212.0 Part-time staff are counted as 0.5.
§ Mr. DarlingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what income the nationality division received in nationality fees, in each month from April 1989 to the nearest available date.
§ Mr. Peter LloydFees received for applications for citizenship, net of refunds to unsuccessful applicants, were as follows:
Receipts £ 1989 April 223,717 May 230,949 June 246,146 July 158,471 August 207,716 September 283,920 October 200,794 November 245,589 December 135,075 1990 January 181,841 February 207,181 March 245,521 April 148,912 May 151,211 June 142,463
§ Mr. DarlingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many notices have been issued to each airline under the Immigration (Carriers' Liability) Act 1987 in each quarter since January 1989; how much money has accrued as a result; and how many such notices have been contested by each airline.
§ Mr. Peter LloydIt is not the practice to disclose information on the record of individual airlines under the 391W Act. The total number of notices issued to carriers—airlines and sea operators—in each quarter since January 1989 was as follows:
Quarter Ending Number of Notices 31 March 1989 1,345 30 June 1989 1,616 30 September 1989 2,208 31 December 1989 2,694 31 March 1990 1,912 TOTAL 9,775 A total of £2.476 million was received during this period and representations were made by carriers in 2,698 cases.
§ Mr. DarlingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications from over-age reapplicants from the Indian subcontinent, by country, seeking to join a sponsor settled in the United Kingdom have been(a) made, (b) deferred, (c) refused and (d) granted since 1988; and how many such reapplicants in each category had undergone successful DNA tests.
§ Mr. Peter LloydThe only available information is that a total of 142 applications to join parents in the United Kingdom made by reapplicants who have established their relationship by means of DNA evidence, but who do not qualify for admission under the immigration rules, have now been decided under the terms of the concession
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Wives and children applying for entry clearance for settlement in the United Kingdom1 Number of persons Applications Post Newly received2 Granted3 Refused initially4 Referred or deferred5 Withdrawn or lapsed4 Awaiting first interview at end of quarter Dhaka 1989 1st quarter 1,410 2,220 470 780 470 2,600 2nd quarter 1,390 2,070 450 620 420 2,200 3rd quarter 1,460 1,810 290 570 390 1,700 4th quarter 1,490 1,510 510 490 350 1,500 1990 1st quarter 1,320 1,570 520 470 280 1,600 Islamabad 1989 1st quarter 1,200 1,110 90 840 170 2,100 2nd quarter 1,020 1,260 60 800 120 1,900 3rd quarter 1,010 1,020 60 710 100 1,800 4th quarter 920 790 50 530 90 1,800 1990 1st quarter 1,190 990 250 640 100 1,700 Karachi 1989 1st quarter 90 60 6 20 6 100 2nd quarter 60 80 6 30 30 50 3rd quarter 60 80 10 40 — 10 4th quarter 40 40 10 10 6 30 1990 1st quarter 100 60 10 10 6 70 1 Including persons applying for a certificate of entitlement to the right of abode in the United Kingdom. 2 Data include some double counting in respect of applications recorded initially for entry clearance and then subsequently for a certificate of entitlement. 3 Granted initially or on appeal. 4 Since about the end of 1989, settlement applications have been refused in those circumstances where previously they would have been lapsed. 5 Referred to the Home Office for decision or deferred for further inquiries. 6 Five or fewer. announced by my right hon. Friend the then Home Secretary on 14 June 1989 at columns 461–62. Entry clearance has been authorised in 38 of these cases.
§ Mr. DarlingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many wives and dependent children applying for entry clearance in the Indian subcontinent in each quarter since January 1989 were refused(a) on first application and (b) on second or subsequent application.
§ Mr. Peter LloydQuarterly information up to the end of 1989 on the total numbers of wives and children in the Indian subcontinent refused entry clearance to the United Kingdom is published in table 24 of Cm 1124, "Control of Immigration: Statistics, United Kingdom, 1989", a copy of which is in the Library. In the first quarter of 1990, 240 wives and 360 children were initially refused entry clearance. Separate information on first-time applicants and reapplicants is not available centrally.
§ Mr. DarlingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for settlement by wives and children in (i) Dhaka, (ii) Islamabad and (iii) Karachi were(a) received, (b) granted, (c) refused, (d) deferred at first interview, (e) lapsed and (f) outstanding and awaiting first interview for each quarter since the beginning of 1989.
§ Mr. Peter LloydThe information requested is given in the table.
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§ Mr. DarlingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for registration under section 7(6)(a) of the British Nationality Act 1981 made after 31 December 1987 have been(a) received, (b) granted and (c) refused; and what criteria he uses to decide on the special circumstances of a case.
§ Mr. Peter LloydInformation about the number of applications for registration under section 7 of the British Nationality Act 1981 made after 31 December 1987 which were received and granted is not available. Between January 1988 and June 1990, 454 applications made under section 7 of the Act are recorded as having been refused as late applications. During the passage of the 1981 Act it was made clear that the discretion to accept a late registration application would be used sparingly in cases of hardship where an applicant could show good reasons why he or she could not apply in time.
§ Mr. DarlingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for(a) adult registration, (b) registration of minors and (c) naturalisation were (i) received and (ii) granted by the nationality division, for each month from January 1989 to the nearest available date.
§ Mr. Peter LloydThe numbers of applications for citizenship received in caseworking groups are set out in table 1. The figures in the table do not include applications received but not yet recorded on the nationality division's computer, of which there were approximately 3,000 at the end of June 1990. The numbers of applications granted are set out in table 2.
Table 1 Applications received Adult registrations Minor registrations Naturalisations 1989 January 7,838 1,086 3,177 February 10,252 1,530 4,033 March 9,562 1,569 5,094 April 8,916 1,400 4,432 May 7,381 1,656 3,427 June 3,313 3,658 7,963 July 1,563 2,928 9,777 August 872 2,158 7,160 September 380 524 1,452 October 345 539 1,625 November 349 584 1,622 December 325 276 849 394W
Refusals, on grounds of maintenance and accommodation, of after-entry applications by husbands and wives Number of persons Refusals to grant probationary year on grounds of:— Refusals of settlement1 Accommodation Maintenance Maintenance and accommodation 1989 Quarter 1 Husbands 1 — 1 5 Wives 2 — — — Quarter 2 Husbands — 2 2 8 Wives — — — 3 Quarter 3 Husbands 3 — — 7 Wives 1 1 — 6 Quarter 4
Applications received Adult registrations Minor registrations Naturalisations 1990 January 255 575 1,515 February 315 657 1,586 March 251 592 1,485 April 184 356 629 May 232 535 1,589 June 434 842 1,457
Table 2 Applications granted Adult registrations Minor registrations Naturalisations 1989 January 8,263 743 1,226 February 7,707 708 1,361 March 8,453 795 1,639 April 7,508 736 1,683 May 6,013 790 1,591 June 6,690 1,237 1,925 July 6,349 1,173 1,623 August 8,399 1,393 1,612 September 6,979 1,310 1,551 October 8,023 1,349 2,193 November 7,088 1,419 2,003 December 4,105 905 1,296 1990 January 6,994 1,190 2,037 February 4,160 907 1,688 March 3,127 996 2,021 April 2,403 944 1,861 May 1,038 394 953 June 1,284 915 1,765
§ Mr. DarlingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) husbands, (b) wives and (c) dependent children have been refused (i) extension of stay and (ii) settlement in the United Kingdom on the grounds that he is not satisfied that they can be maintained and accommodated without recourse to public funds, in each quarter since January 1989 to the nearest available date.
§ Mr. Peter LloydThe available information relating to after-entry cases is given in the following table. Information on dependent children is not readily available.
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Refusals to grant probationary year on grounds of:— Refusals of settlement1 Accommodation Maintenance Maintenance and accommodation Husbands 4 — 2 5 Wives 1 — — 3 1990 Quarter 1 Husbands 1 — — 3 Wives — — 1 4 1 After probationary year on general considerations, including recourse to public funds.
§ Mr. DarlingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) British nationals and (b) holders of certificates of identity from Hong Kong have been admitted to the United Kingdom in each quarter since January 1989 as (i) persons on independent
Admissions to the United Kingdom of British Dependent Territories Citizens and British Nationals (Overseas) from Hong Kong Number of persons 1989 Admission category 1st quarter 2nd quarter 3rd quarter 4th quarter Total 1989 1 1990 1st quarter Visitors 6,260 7,740 13,700 6,040 33,800 5,980 Business visitors 1,400 1,320 1,450 1,250 5,420 1,430 Students 360 290 5,490 1,090 7,230 430 Husbands and fiancés 10 10 20 10 50 10 Wives and fiancées 30 40 40 30 150 40 1 Provisional figures.
§ Mr. DarlingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was (i) the budgeted cost and (ii) the actual cost of processing nationality applications in the nationality division during 1989–90.
§ Mr. Peter LloydThe budgeted cost of processing applications for citizenship during 1989–90 was £7,922,000. Final outturn costs are not yet available but are expected to be in the region of £7.1 million.
§ Mr. DarlingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will produce a table to show, for 1989 and the first quarter of 1990, the number of settlement applications at the post in Dhaka which were(a) received, (b) granted, (c) refused, (d) deferred at first interview, (e) lapsed, (f) outstanding and (g) outstanding and awaiting first interview.
§ Mr. Peter LloydThe information requested is given in the table.
Applications in Bangladesh for entry clearance for settlement in the United Kingdom1 Number of persons Applications 1989 1990 1st quarter Newly received2 6,910 1,730 Granted3 7,960 1,640 Refused initially4 2,450 750 396W
Estimated numbers of applicants in the Indian sub-continent on 31 March 1990 awaiting their first interview for entry to the United Kingdom Number of persons Post Category1 Queue 1 Queue 2 Queue 3 Queue 4 Queue 5 Dhaka 370 900 130 830 — New Delhi2 3— 250 170 60 160 Bombay — 630 380 120 140 Calcutta — — — — — means, (ii) self-employed persons, (iii) business people, (iv) visitors, (v) students, (vi) husbands and fiancés, (vii) wives and fiancées and (viii) other dependent relatives.
§ Mr. Peter LloydThe available information for BDTCs and BN(O)s from Hong Kong is given in the table. Figures on admissions of holders of certificates of identity from Hong Kong are not available.
Applications 1989 1990 1st quarter Referred or deferred5 2,920 580 Withdrawn or lapsed4 1,840 350 Outstanding at end of period 5,800 4,500 Of which, awaiting first interview 2,100 2,200 1 Including applications for a certificate of entitlement to the right of abode in the United Kingdom. 2 Data include some double counting in respect of applications recorded initially for entry clearance and then subsequently for a certificate of entitlement. 3 Granted initially or on appeal. 4 Since about the end of 1989, settlement applications have been refused in those circumstances where previously they would have been lapsed. 5 Referred to the Home Office for decision or deferred for further inquiries.
§ Mr. DarlingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) men, (b) women and (c) children were waiting in each queue at each post in the Indian subcontinent on 31 March.
§ Mr. Peter LloydInformation on the estimated total numbers in each queue is given in the table; separate information on men, women and children is not available centrally.
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Post Category1 Queue 1 Queue 2 Queue 3 Queue 4 Queue 5 Madras — 50 10 — 10 Islamabad 100 2,200 440 320 890 Karachi 3— 100 20 10 3— Total Indian sub-continent 480 4,100 1,100 1,300 1,200 1 Queue 1: Persons with a claim to the right of abode, dependent relatives over 70 years old, and special compassionate cases (first-time applicants for settlement). Queue 2: Spouses, and children under 18 years old (first-time applicants for settlement). Queue 3: Fiance(e)s, and other applicants (first-time applicants for settlement). Queue 4: Re-applicants for settlement. Queue 5: Other applicants (not for settlement). 2 Data exclude Afghans seeking political asylum in the United Kingdom. 3 Five or fewer.
§ Mr. DarlingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were waiting for special quota vouchers in (i) India and (ii) east Africa in(a) May 1989, (b) December 1989 and (c) May 1990; when those issued with vouchers on those dates had applied; how many vouchers were issued in (1) India and (2) east Africa in (i)
Table 1: Persons applying for a special voucher for entry to the United Kingdom Number of persons Country Applications newly received1 Vouchers issued Applications awaiting a decision at end of month 1989 1990 1st quarter 1989 1990 1st quarter May 1989 December 1989 March 1990 India 320 100 600 160 1,600 1,300 1,000 Kenya 350 70 290 70 590 570 560 Tanzania 40 10 30 2— 70 70 80 Malawi 10 2— 20 2— 20 20 10 Zambia 50 10 50 10 50 40 30 Elsewhere 20 2— 10 2— 10 10 2— Total 810 200 990 260 2,300 2,000 1,700 1 Including applications subsequently withdrawn or lapsed. 2 5 or fewer.
Table 2: Waiting times for persons applying for a special voucher Months Waiting time to main interview for: Persons interviewed at end of month May 1989 December 1989 March 1990 Persons applying at end of month1 March 1990 India2 72.0 48.0 36.0 318.0 Kenya 2.0 1.5 4— 4— Tanzania 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 Malawi — — 0.5 0.5 Zambia 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1 Data relate to expected waiting time. 2 Data relate to non-priority applicants. Priority applicants (ie. widows with a child in the United Kingdom, heads of household aged 65 or over, and special compassionate cases) are interviewed within three months. 3 Provisional estimate. 4— within a week.