§ Mrs. RocheTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what guidance is given to entry clearance officers overseas regarding answering queries from solicitors about their clients' applications for visas; if he will publish this guidance; and what plans he has to issue revised guidance.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydEntry clearance officers overseas are advised that posts should reply direct to letters from solicitors in the United Kingdom on routine matters unless they have reason to believe that the Home Office or the FCO has already become involved. In that case, the letter should be briefly acknowledged and a copy sent to the correspondence unit of the migration and visa department in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London, with a memorandum containing relevant information.
There are no plans to revise this advice.
§ Mrs. RocheTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people currently work as entry clearance officers in British embassies and high commissions; where they are situated; what grades they work at; what number and percentage are women; and what is the ethnic breakdown of officers.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydIn 1993, 259 man-years were spent at British posts overseas on entry clearance officer—ECO—work. This figure includes staff who have other responsibilities as well as entry clearance work.
Most ECOs are grade DS9 or equivalent—immigration officer in the case of immigration service staff serving on secondment, or LEII in the case of locally engaged ECOs.
A list of posts designated to receive applications for entry clearance is available in the Library of the House.
A precise breakdown of the gender and ethnic background of those officers currently serving as ECOs could be furnished only at disproportionate cost, but 50 per cent. of the FCO's DS9 complement are women, and 1.6 per cent. are from ethnic minorities. I understand that the corresponding figures for immigration officers overseas are 22 per cent. and 4 per cent.
§ Mrs. RocheTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what training entry clearance officers receive.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydAll diplomatic service officers receive induction and other vocational training. Those appointed as entry clearance officers also attend a three-week training course in London before taking up their appointments. Locally engaged ECOs also attend these courses.
Home Office staff seconded as entry clearance officers attend a short pre-posting "conversion" course.
Like other staff, ECOs also receive on-the-job training, in the light of their posts' workload and resources.
§ Mrs. RocheTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many requests he received from hon. Members in(a) 1993, (b) 1992, (c) 1991 and (d) 1990 to exercise ministerial discretion over visa applications; in how many in each year the decision of the entry clearance officer was overturned; to how many in each year he replied personally; and to how many in each year the migration and visa unit replied.
700W
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydThe table shows the number of representations on visa matters received during 1990–93 inclusive and the number which received ministerial replies. The others were replied to by the migration and visa correspondence unit, except in cases where no reply was necessary.
Total Ministerial replies 1990 4,561 884 1991 4,577 588 1992 5,069 287 1993 5,879 346 It is not possible to say how many of these representations specifically requested the exercise of ministerial discretion, but many of them did so, if only by implication.
Ministers overturn ECOs' decisions only in exceptional circumstances, as described in my letter to the hon. Member of 7 July 1993.
§ Mrs. RocheTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what guidance is given to entry clearance officers overseas regarding answering queries from hon. Members about their constituents; if he will publish this guidance; and what plans he has to issue revised guidance.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydEntry clearance officers at posts are instructed not to reply direct to letters received from Members of Parliament but to acknowledge them and return them to the migration and visa correspondence unit for reply.
The arrangements for handling enquiries on immigration were set out in the booklet "Representation by Members of Parliament on Visa and Immigration Cases—A Guide" which was circulated to Members under cover of my letter of 7 July 1993.
There are no current plans to update this guidance.