HC Deb 16 July 1990 vol 176 cc386-97W
Mr. Darling

To 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 Lloyd

The 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 Lloyd

The only information requested which is available centrally is that on applications granted and refused in Hong Kong, and is given in the table.

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. Darling

To 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 Lloyd

Most 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.

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

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. Darling

To 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 Lloyd

The 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 regarding those who either contacted the immigration authorities or were traced is not recorded centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Darling

To 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 Lloyd

The 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. Darling

To 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 Lloyd

Fees 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. Darling

To 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 Lloyd

It is not the practice to disclose information on the record of individual airlines under the 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. Darling

To 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 Lloyd

The 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

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. Darling

To 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 Lloyd

Quarterly 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. Darling

To 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 Lloyd

The information requested is given in the table.

Mr. Darling

To 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 Lloyd

Information 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. Darling

To 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 Lloyd

The 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

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. Darling

To 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 Lloyd

The available information relating to after-entry cases is given in the following table. Information on dependent children is not readily available.

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. Darling

To 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. Darling

To 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 Lloyd

The 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. Darling

To 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 Lloyd

The 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

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 Lloyd

The 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. Darling

To 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 Lloyd

Information on the estimated total numbers in each queue is given in the table; separate information on men, women and children is not available centrally.

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. Darling

To 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.