Immigration (Hansard, 7 July 1994)

§ Dr. Lynne Jones
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is considered a sufficient duration for a common law heterosexual relationship between a foreign national and a person settled in the United Kingdom for immigration purposes.

§ Mr. Charles Wardle
Each application is considered on its own merits. The duration of the relationship is taken into account along with other factors.

§ Dr. Lynne Jones
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his statement of 4 May,Official Report, columns 823–26, if (a) the absence of children, (b) the inability to have children or (c) the absence of intent to marry are considered detrimental to applications made by foreign nationals in common law heterosexual relationships with persons settled in the United Kingdom.
301W

§ Mr. Charles Wardle
Not necessarily; applications for leave to remain from unmarried heterosexual couples are considered on their merits.

§ Dr. Lynne Jones
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 9 May,Official Report, column 11, whether the statistic provided in this reply relating to common law partners include same sex partners of persons settled in the United Kingdom.

§ Mr. Charles Wardle
No.

§ Dr. Lynne Jones
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) of 16 May,Official Report, column 336, whether there are any other circumstances acceptable as grounds for granting leave to remain to the foreign same sex partner of a person settled in the United Kingdom.

§ Mr. Charles Wardle
Each application is considered on its own merits. It is not possible to provide an exhaustive list of the circumstances in which leave to remain on the basis of a same sex relationship might be granted.

§ Dr. Lynne Jones
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) of 16 May,Official Report, column 337, how many applications for leave to remain in the United Kingdom made by foreign nationals on the basis of a same sex relationship with a person settled in the United Kingdom have been (a) accepted and (b) rejected since 1990.

§ Mr. Charles Wardle
The information requested is not separately identified in the statistics.

§ Dr. Lynne Jones
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) of 16 May,Official Report, column 336, what is considered a sufficient duration for a same-sex relationship between a foreign national and a person settled in the United Kingdom for immigration purposes.

§ Mr. Charles Wardle
Each case is decided on its own merits and it is not possible to say what period would normally be considered sufficient.