§ Mr. Andrew SmithTo ask the Prime Minister what are the interdepartmental procedures operated by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Home Office and the Department of Health for co-ordinating the issuing of visas in respect of Romanian children adopted by United Kingdom citizens; if she will review these procedures to improve their efficiency; and what are the criteria applied when considering such visa applications.
§ The Prime MinisterWhen an application is made to bring to the United Kingdom a child who has been adopted abroad or who is coming here for adoption, the entry clearance officer first makes inquiries into the child's circumstances overseas and the circumstances in which the child became available for adoption. The application is then referred to the Home Office, which seeks advice from the Department of Health on the health and welfare aspects of the case before reaching a decision. The main consideration is whether the proposed adoption is in the child's best interests. Every effort is made to ensure that the necessary inquiries are completed as quickly as possible.