§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) during the year 1991, or the most recent period for which statistics are available, how many visa and entry clearance applications from persons who wanted to follow a course of study of not more than six months' duration were refused; how many of them appealed against the decision of the entry clearance officer, and in how many of these appeals were the refusal decision upheld;
(2) during the year 1991, or the most recent period for which statistics are available, how many visa and entry clearance applications were refused from people who sought to enter as a visitor; how many of them appealed against that decision of the entry clearance officer, and in how many of these appeals were the refusal decision upheld;
(3) how many applications for entry clearance for visits and short term, less than six months, stay as students were entertained during each year since 1989; how many in each category were (a) granted and (b) refused; how many of the refusals were appealed against; and how many of such appeals were (a) unsuccessful, (b) successful, (c) withdrawn or abandoned or (d) settled.
§ Mr. Charles WardleSeparate information about entry clearance applications and decisions and about appeals from visitors and students is not available. The available information on total non-settlement entry clearance applications made at all posts overseas is given in the table. Non-settlement entry clearance applications are mainly in respect of visitors. Information on appeals against a refusal of entry clearance for temporary purposes is published in table 37 of "Control of Immigration: Statistics—United Kingdom, 1991", Cm 2063. Information for 1990 is in table 37 of Cm 1571 and for 1989 in table 6 of Cm 1124. A copy of these publications is in the Library.
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Applications made at all posts overseas for non-settlement entry clearance to the United Kingdom 1989–91 Number of applicants Newly received Granted (Total) Refused initially 1989 865,986 775,246 45,062 1990 962,617 874,330 68,212 1991 915,614 778,845 77,376
§ Mr. LlwydTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action is currently undertaken by his Department to offer legal advice and representation from a choice of providers to individuals pursuing immigration and nationality inquiries; and if he will make it his policy to ensure that such services are fully accessible and are sufficient to meet both the current and projected demand.
§ Mr. Charles WardleThe Home Office funds the United Kingdom Immigrants Advisory Service and the Refugee Legal Centre to provide free legal advice and assistance for people with rights of appeal under immigration legislation and for asylum claimants. The Government are at present considering recommendations about the future provision of legal services for asylum seekers made in a report published on 21 October by an independent planning group chaired by Ms. Usha Prashar. We shall announce our conclusions as soon as possible.
As I said on 8 July in reply to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Westminster, North (Sir J. Wheeler), at columns 202–3, Mr. Humfrey Malins has been invited to lead a planning group outside the Government to draw up proposals for an organisation to take over UKIAS's general immigration work. This group would welcome views from any interested individual or organisation and hopes to publish its report by the end of the year. Green form legal aid continues to be available in immigration and asylum cases.
§ Mr. LlwydTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to ensure that the immigration and nationality department makes a public commitment to provide a non-discriminatory service, supported by measures to monitor and eradicate discriminatory practice.
§ Mr. Charles WardleThe immigration and nationality department is fully committed to a policy of nondiscrimination and published a formal policy statement on race relations in 1988. This is displayed prominently in all public areas at the headquarters building in Croydon as well as at ports around the country. The immigration rules state specifically that staff should carry out their work without regard to race or colour.
§ Mr. LlwydTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the publicity material produced by the immigration and nationality department for actual and prospective applicants; and in which languages such publicity material is available.
§ Mr. Charles WardleThe material includes the following. Some of the items are published in Farsi, Bengali, Hindi, Arabic, Gujarati, Turkish, Chinese, Punjabi and Urdu and these arrangements are kept under review.
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Form number Publicity material RON 2 9 (AP) Information about Au Pairs. RON 2 (FP) Contacting the Immigration and Nationality Department. RON 2 (S) Information for overseas students. RON 2 (V) Information for visitors from overseas. RON 52 (S) Application to stay in the United Kingdom as a student. RON 56 Notice to students about part-time and holiday work. RON 71 Information about the Public Enquiry Office. No form No. Abolition of re-entry visas. IS 115 Notice to passengers subject to control under the Immigration Act 1971.
Form number Publicity material BN 1 Main publicity leaflet explaining the effect of the 1981 Act, concentrates on British citizenship. BN 2 General leaflet on British Overseas citizenship. BN 3 General leaflet on British subjects. BN 4 Leaflet on transmission of British citizenship by descent. Also explains registration provisions for children of British citizens. Called "Children born abroad". BN 5 Leaflet explaining the stateless provisions. BN 6 Leaflet on transmission of British citizenship by parents who are in Crown Service, designated service or in service under a European Community institution. BN 7 Leaflet explaining the naturalisation provisions in section 6. BN 8 Leaflet explaining the registration provisions in section 7. BN 9 Leaflet explaining fully position of children born in the United Kingdom on or after 1 January 1983. BN 10 Poster for registry offices in the United Kingdom explaining the position of children born in the United Kingdom on or after 1 January 1983. BN 11 Leaflet explaining the registration of minors as British citizens. This leaflet does not explain the provisions for the registration of children of British citizens. BN 11 and BN 4 may if necessary accompany each other. BN 12 Leaflet explaining the registration provisions of section 4. BN 11 Leaflet explaining the British Nationality (Falkland Islands) Act 1983. BN 15 Leaflet explaining how British nationals can obtain a passport in the United Kingdom. BN 16 Leaflet containing details of sources of duplicate birth, marriage and death certificates. BN 17 Leaflet explaining current waiting times for determination of applications.
§ Mr. LlwydTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to ensure that the immigration and nationality department publishes standards for service delivery to include arrangements for regular monitoring, the review of service provision and maximum time scales for dealing with applications.
§ Mr. Charles WardleService standards for the immigration and nationality department are being developed and published, for example in the IND annual report and the immigration service (ports) operating plan 1992–93.
§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last reviewed the instructions to immigration officers.
§ Mr. Charles WardleThese instructions are kept continuously under review and amended from time to time.
§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place a copy of the instructions to immigration officers in the Library.
§ Mr. Charles WardleNo. It is not the usual practice to publish such internal instructions.