§ Mr. MaddenTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in how many cases since the right of appeal was abolished to those refused a visa to visit the United Kingdom second applications made to the British High Commission in Islamabad have been(a) granted, (b) refused or (c) deferred for inquiries to be made; in how many such cases advice has been offered to the applicant or sponsor to make the application acceptable; and in how many cases an applicant wishing to make a second application was turned away and told they were unable to lodge a second application as their first application had been refused.
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§ Mr. Lennox-BoydThe high commission in Islamabad does not keep statistics about the outcome of second applications, nor does it keep statistics on what advice an entry clearance officer may pass on to an applicant following refusal to entry clearance. No applicant will be advised that he is unable to lodge an application. If he wishes to lodge a second application, he is free to do so. In Islamabad, a preliminary assessment of all non-settlement applications is carried out before an application is formally accepted and a visa fee taken. This is done in the interests of both the applicant and the high commission. The ECO may advise that, on the documentary evidence available, an application seems unlikely to succeed. An applicant is not obliged to follow the ECO's advice and if he decides to pursue the application, a formal interview is then arranged.