§ Mr. GapesTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the letter of 4 February from the migration and visa correspondence unit to the hon. Member for Ilford, South, what evidence he has of repeated applications for asylum and social security28W benefits by non-EC nationals resident in Belgium; how many such cases there have been in 1992 and 1993; what were the nationalities of those involved; identifying Commonwealth and community citizens separately; what length of visits had been applied for; how many had visited the United Kingdom in the previous year; how many non-EC nationals resident in Belgium have been refused visitors' visas in 1992 and 1993; what new practices have been put in place; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydApplications for asylum in the United Kingdom are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department.
Social Security benefits are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Security.
I understand that in 1992 a number of illgal immigrants were arrested and convicted in the United Kingdom. This is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department.
The numbers of non-EC nationals refused visas by the British embassy in Belgium in 1992 and 1993 were:
- 1992–126
- 1993 (January only)–12
No new practices have been put in place by the embassy. All visa applications are scrutinised to establish that they meet the requirements of the immigration rules.