§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what action is currently being undertaken as proposed in the Commission's communication on immigration and asylum of February 1994 to approximate the harmonisation admission policies for humanitarian reasons of the European Union member states;
(2) what action is being taken to harmonise schemes for temporary protection in the European Union member states as proposed in the Commission's communication on immigration and asylum of February 1994.
§ Mr. Charles WardleNo specific proposals for harmonisation in these areas have been put forward.
§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what actions have been taken under the European Council's 1992 declaration on principles governing the external aspects of migration policy to tackle root causes of various types of migratory movements.
§ Mr. Charles WardleNo specific action has been taken, but the declaration has informed subsequent discussions on these issues between the member states.
§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications were made over the past 12 months for persons to come to the United Kingdom or continue residence in the United Kingdom as persons of independent means on the basis of capital assets of £200,000 or guaranteed income of £20,000 and a close connection with the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. Charles WardleInformation on persons of independent means applying for entry clearance, or admitted to the United Kingdom is not available. The available information relates to such persons with capital assets of not less than £200,000 or income of not less than £20,000 a year and a close connection with the United Kingdom, plus if there were no close connection, capital assets of not less than £500,000; 120 such persons were granted an extension of stay, and 140 were granted settlement, in 1993.
§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications were(a) received and (b) refused in the past 12 months for a person to come to the United Kingdom as a business person under the immigration rules.
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§ Mr. Charles WardleThe information requested is not available.
§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will reconsider his decision to expel Dr. Xu Li-Quin as an illegal immigrant.
§ Mr. Charles WardleDr. Xu is not and has not been treated as an illegal entrant, nor has he been subject to any procedures to expel him. He had been refused further leave to remain in the United Kingdom, in accordance with the immigration rules, following a decision by the Department of Employment not to extend its approval of his employment. That Department has now reconsidered the case in the light of further information, and as a result Dr. Xu will be granted further leave to remain.