HC Deb 26 November 1992 vol 214 cc760-2W
Mr. Madden

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what are his estimates of the savings resulting from the provisions contained in the Asylum and Immigration Bill to abolish a right of appeal for those refused a visa to visit the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. John M. Taylor

The appeals to which the hon. Member refers are normally dealt with on the papers only and so make fewer demands on resources than cases where hearings take place. It is difficult, therefore, to estimate precisely what savings may result. However, these provisions will enable us to use resources to tackle priorities more effectively.

Mr. Madden

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many appeals against refusal to grant visas to visit the United Kingdom have been lodged, to date, in each of the last three years, on the basis of nationality; how many such appeals were(a) upheld, (b) refused, (c) withdrawn and (d) awaiting determination at the latest available date.

Mr. John M. Taylor

The immigration appellate authorities keep statistics by the country from which the appeal originates, not by nationality. Visit visa statistics are not kept separately from other appeals against refusal of short-term visas and the figures given are achieved by applying a typical proportion of visit visa appeals to the total in each period. On that basis, the number of appeals against refusal to grant visas to visit the United Kingdom that have been lodged in each of the last three years, by country, is set out in the table.

The information requested concerning the number of visit visa appeals currently awaiting determination is not available.

1991
Country Received Upheld Refused Withdrawn
India 1,911 347 976 338
Bangladesh 454 75 446 91
Pakistan 2,108 268 920 209
Ghana 288 39 146 31
Nigeria 1,460 70 580 63
Jamaica 177 44 177 51
EEC 10 1
Other 3,275 331 1,503 357
Total 9,673 1,174 4,758 1,141

1992

January-September

Country Received Upheld Refused Withdrawn
India 1,135 377 1,275 231
Bangladesh 430 76 382 65
Pakistan 1,513 326 1,282 225
Ghana 425 42 137 39
Nigeria 1,260 125 882 65
Jamaica 104 59 258 30
EEC 0 0 1 0
Other 2,461 369 2,001 264
Total 7,328 1,374 4,217 919

Mr. Madden

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many appeals, in all categories of entry clearance to the United Kingdom, are, to date, outstanding; what is the average delay, between appeal applications being lodged and appeals being heard at each appellate centre in the United Kingdom; how many adjudicators are in place currently; and what proportion of each adjudicators' work load at present is taken up considering appeals against refusal to grant visit visas.

Mr. John M. Taylor

As of 30 October 1992 there were 23,047 appeals outstanding. The average time between an appeal being lodged and it being heard is 16 months. This includes an average period of nine months for the parties to prepare their case and indicate readiness for the appeal to be heard. Cases where parties have so indicated are now being listed for full hearing on the following dates at the appellate centres:

Thanet house 17 May 1993
Harmondsworth 1 May 1993
Birmingham 14 January 1993
Manchester 1 April 1993
Leeds 1 February 1993
Glasgow 1 March 1993

Hearings can sometimes be brought forward if the appellant so requests and an earlier date becomes available. Steps are being taken to shorten the time taken, wherever possible, for a case to come before an adjudicator for example, by increasing hearing room availability and increased administrative efficiency.

Cases where no hearing is required are currently being determined on the papers within six to eight weeks of the parties indicating they are ready for the case to be dealt with by the adjudicator.

There are 19 full-time adjudicators and 78 part-time adjudicators in post. It is not possible to calculate what proportion of the adjudicators' time is taken considering appeals against refusal to grant visit visas.

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