HC Deb 09 January 1996 vol 269 cc198-205W
Mr. Henderson

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many outstanding immigration applications there are at Lunar house from(a) students, (b) family members in the United Kingdom applying for variation of stay, (c) settlement entry clearance applications referred from overseas posts and (d) asylum seekers; and what are the average times applicants in each category must wait before a decision. [7425]

Mr. Kirkhope

The available information is that at the end of November 1995 there were in total about 68,500 asylum applications and some 20,500 other cases in the general immigration caseworking groups, including referred entry clearance applications, the majority of which were under consideration or the subject of further inquiries. The estimated average length of time between the receipt of an application and the decision for cases decided in the general caseworking groups in the third quarter of 1995, was about eight weeks for students and about 12 weeks for all non-asylum applications. Information on average waiting times for family members in the United Kingdom for variation of leave and settlement entry clearance applications referred from overseas posts is not available.

For the average waiting times for asylum applications, I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave him on 22 November 1995, Official Report, column 219.

Mr. Henderson

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) men, (b) women and (c) children were waiting in each queue at each post in the Indian subcontinent on (i) 1 January 1995, (ii) 30 June 1995 and (iii) the latest convenient date. [7420]

Mr. Kirkhope

Information on waiting times to first interview for applicants in the settlement queues at posts in the Indian sub-continent is contained in table 2.5 of the

Table 1: Spouses and fiance(e)s in the Indian sub-continent applying for entry clearance for settlement in the United Kingdom, 1994 and first two quarters 1995
Number of persons and percentage
1994 1995
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Year Q1 Q2
HUSBANDS
New Delhi (including Calcutta)
Applications received1 90 80 50 50 280 80 70
Applications granted2 60 40 40 40 180 60 50
Applications refused initially 50 40 40 40 160 40 30
Refusal rate (percentage)3 n/a n/a n/a n/a 45 n/a n/a
Bombay (including Madras)
Applications received1 100 40 70 60 310 90 80
Applications granted2 70 70 60 70 260 70 60
Applications refused initially 50 30 50 50 180 40 20
Refusal (percentage)3 n/a n/a n/a n/a 33 n/a n/a
Dhaka
Applications received1 270 300 370 470 1,400 300 320
Applications granted2 230 180 220 210 840 220 170
Applications refused initially 130 50 160 120 460 200 260
Refusal rate (percentage)3 n/a n/a n/a n/a 33 n/a n/a
Islamabad (including Karachi)
Applications received1 750 670 670 630 2,720 790 760
Applications granted2 440 420 420 440 1,720 420 480
Applications refused initially 430 440 430 400 1,690 530 460
Refusal rate (percentage)3 n/a n/a n/a n/a 42 n/a n/a
WIVES
New Delhi (including Calcutta)
Applications received1 320 260 200 170 940 320 280
Applications granted2 220 190 210 130 760 190 210
Applications refused initially 60 70 60 60 260 80 60
Refusal rate (percentage)3 n/a n/a n/a n/a 23 n/a n/a

Home Office Statistical Bulletin issue 21/95 "Control of Immigration: Statistics UK First Half 1995" published on 19 October 1995, a copy of which is in the Library.

Mr. Henderson

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for entry clearance from(a) wives, (b) husbands, (c) fiancés and (d) fiancées made at British posts in (i) New Delhi, (ii) Bombay, (iii) Calcutta, (iv) Madras, (v) Dhaka, (vi) Islamabad, (vii) Karachi, (viii) Colombo, (ix) Accra, (x) Lagos, (xi) Manila, (xii) Bangkok, (xiii) Washington and (xiv) Ottawa for each quarter since January 1994, and in total, were (1) received, (2) granted and (3) refused; how many refusals at each post were (A) wholly and (B) partly because the visa officer was not satisfied that the primary purpose of the marriage was not immigration; how many refusals at each post were (x) wholly and (y) partly because the visa officer was not satisfied that the couple could support and accommodate themselves without recourse to public funds; and what was the refusal rate at each post and what percentage of those refusals were (X) wholly and (Y) partly on primary purpose grounds. [7686]

Mr. Kirkhope

Information for the Indian subcontinent for each quarter of 1994 and the first two quarters of 1995 is given in the tables. Where numbers are small, figures for individual posts have been combined. Information on reasons for refusals is not compiled for periods shorter than 12 months. Corresponding information for Colombo, Accra, Lagos, Manila, Bangkok. Washington and Ottawa is not available centrally.

Table 1: Spouses and fiance(e)s in the Indian sub-continent applying for clearance for settlement in the United Kingdom, 1994 and first quarters 1995
Number of persons and percentage
1994 1955
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Year Q1 Q2
Bombay (including Madras)
Applications received1 330 260 220 210 1,020 300 340
Applications granted2 240 210 280 210 950 220 150
Applications refused initially 50 40 40 30 160 50 30
Refusal rate (percentage)3 n/a n/a n/a n/a 12 n/a n/a
Dhaka
Applications received1 330 330 390 370 1,420 310 410
Applications granted2 300 280 320 280 1,180 220 240
Applications refused initially 40 20 60 60 190 80 100
Refusal rate (percentage)3 n/a n/a n/a n/a 13 n/a n/a
Islamabad (including Karachi)
Applications received1 910 790 770 740 3,210 980 840
Applications granted2 600 600 540 550 2,290 580 710
Applications refused initially 160 180 180 180 710 240 210
Refusal rate (percentage)3 n/a n/a n/a n/a 19 n/a n/a
Male fiancés
New Delhi (including Calcutta)
Applications received1 30 20 10 10 70 20 20
Applications granted2 10 10 10 10 40 10 10
Applications refused initially 40 10 20 20 80 4— 4—
Refusal rate (percentage)3 n/a n/a n/a n/a 66 n/a n/a
Bombay (including Madras)
Applications received1 40 20 10 20 80 20 30
Applications granted2 20 10 20 10 50 10 10
Applications refused initially 20 10 20 20 70 10 20
Refusal (percentage)3 n/a n/a n/a n/a 45 n/a n/a
Dhaka
Applications received1 10 4— 4— 4— 10 4— 4—
Applications granted2 4— 4— 4— — 4— — —
Applications refused initially 4— — 4— — 4— — 4—
Refusal rate (percentage)3 n/a n/a n/a n/a 50 n/a n/a
Islamabad (including Karachi)
Applications received1 30 30 30 30 120 20 20
Applications granted2 20 10 10 10 40 10 10
Applications refused initially 20 30 20 10 80 20 20
Refusal rate (percentage)3 n/a n/a n/a n/a 62 n/a n/a
Female fiancées
New Delhi (including Calcutta)
Applications received1 40 30 40 30 140 40 40
Applications granted2 30 10 10 30 80 10 10
Applications refused initially 20 10 10 10 60 20 4—
Refusal rate (percentage)3 n/a n/a n/a n/a 41 n/a n/a
Bombay (including Madras)
Applications received1 40 20 20 20 110 30 40
Applications granted2 20 20 30 30 100 10 10
Applications refused initially 10 10 10 4— 30 10 4—
Refusal rate (percentage)3 n/a n/a n/a n/a 20 n/a n/a
Dhaka
Applications received1 4— 4— 4— 10 20 4— —
Applications granted2 4— 4— 4— 4— 10 4— 4—
Applications refused initially 4— — 4— 4— 4— 4— 4—
Refusal rate (percentage)3 n/a n/a n/a n/a 27 n/a n/a
Isamabad (including Karachi)
Applications received1 30 40 20 40 140 40 20
Applications granted2 20 30 30 30 110 30 20
Applications refused initially 20 10 20 10 60 10 10
Refusal rate (percentage)3 n/a n/a n/a n/a 32 n/a n/a
1Including applications subsequently withdrawn or lapsed.
2Granted initially or on appeal.
3 Applications refused initially, minus applications granted on appeal, as a percentage of applications decided.
4Five or fewer.

— = nil.

n/a = not applicable.

Table 2: Spouses and fiancé(e)s in the Indian sub-continent refused entry clearance for settlement in the United Kingdom, quarterly 1994 and first half 1995
Number of persons
Number refused because couple could not accommodate/maintain themselves without recourse to public funds
Quarter 1, 1994 Quarter 2, 1994 Quarter 3, 1994 Quarter 4, 1994 Quarter 1, 1995 Quarter 2, 1995
Solely for these reasons Partly for these reasons Solely for these reasons Partly for these reasons Solely for these reasons Partly for these reasons Solely for these reasons Partly for these reasons Solely for these reasons Partly for these reasons Solely for these reasons Partly for these reasons
New Delhi (including Calcutta)
Husbands — 10 2 6 1 7 2 8 3 8 4 3
Wives 1 13 — 16 4 12 2 16 3 21 1 2
Male fiancés — 4 — 1 — 3 1 4 — — — —
Female fiancées — 2 — 4 — — 3 2 2 3 — —
Bombay (including Madras)
Husbands — 6 — 3 1 12 — 14 — 7 1 —
Wives 2 4 5 5 6 8 8 3 6 8 4 2
Male fiancés — — — 2 — 2 — 2 — 2 — 1
Female fiancées — — — — — 1 1 1 — 4 — —
Dhaka
Husbands 48 22 24 2 77 21 59 21 109 48 172 53
Wives 32 2 8 4 37 — 48 5 62 3 76 1
Male fiancés 1 — — — — — — — — — 1 —
Female fiancées — — — — — 1 1 — — 1 1 —
Islamabad (including Karachi)
Husbands 74 187 71 245 99 196 103 187 123 234 112 207
Wives 94 25 94 24 101 34 106 29 137 30 103 53
Male fiancés 5 9 3 17 5 11 2 6 2 4 2 8
Female fiancées 3 3 4 3 6 3 8 1 3 — 1 5
Total Indian sub-continent
Husbands 122 225 97 256 178 236 164 230 235 297 289 263
Wives 129 44 107 49 148 54 164 53 208 62 184 58
Male fiancés 6 13 3 20 5 16 3 12 2 6 3 9
Female fiancées 3 5 4 7 6 5 13 4 5 8 2 5

Table 3: Spouses and fiancé(e)s in the Indian sub-continent refused entry clearance for settlement in the United Kingdom, quarterly 1994 and first half 1995
Number of persons
Number refused because primary purpose of marriage was to obtain admission to the United Kingdom
Quarter 1, 1994 Quarter 2, 1994 Quarter 3, 1994 Quarter 4, 1994 Quarter 1, 1995 Quarter 2, 1995
Solely for these reasons Partly for these reasons Solely for these reasons Partly for these reasons Solely for these reasons Partly for these reasons Solely for these reasons Partly for these reasons Solely for these reasons Partly for these reasons Solely for these reasons Partly for these reasons
New Delhi (including Calcutta)
Husbands 27 10 24 6 25 7 22 8 22 8 5 3
Wives 40 13 46 16 41 13 31 16 42 21 20 2
Male fiancés 23 4 5 1 11 4 10 5 5 — — 1
Female fiancées 15 3 6 4 7 2 9 3 12 3 — —
Bombay (including Madras)
Husbands 28 6 15 3 21 12 21 14 13 7 7 —
Wives 22 4 19 5 17 8 14 3 13 8 9 2
Male fiancés 4 — 6 2 12 2 4 2 2 2 5 1
Female fiancées 1 — 4 — 5 1 2 1 1 4 1 —
Dhaka
Husbands 43 21 18 2 47 21 37 20 34 47 29 52
Wives — — — 2 — — — 1 — — — 1
Male fiancés 1 — — — 1 — — — — — — —
Female fiancées 1 — — — — 1 1 — — — — —
Islamabad (including Karachi)
Husbands 131 187 105 244 106 195 84 187 127 240 87 206
Wives 7 19 12 21 11 32 11 29 15 30 18 53
Male fiancés 1 9 5 17 4 11 4 6 5 4 8 5
Female fiancées 3 3 1 3 2 3 1 1 3 — — 4
Total Indian sub-continent
Husbands 229 224 162 255 199 235 164 229 196 302 128 261
Wives 69 36 77 44 69 53 56 49 70 59 47 58
Male fiancés 29 13 16 20 28 17 18 13 12 6 13 7
Female fiancées 20 6 11 7 14 7 13 5 16 7 1 4

Table 4: Spouses and fiancé(e)s in the Indian sub-continent refused entry clearance for settlement in the United Kingdom, quarterly 1994 and first half 1995
Percentages
Primary purpose refusals as a percentage of all refusals
Quarter 1, 1994 Quarter 2, 1994 Quarter 3, 1994 Quarter 4, 1994 Quarter 1, 1995 Quarter 2, 1995
Solely for these reasons Partly for these reasons Solely for these reasons Partly for these reasons Solely for these reasons Partly for these reasons Solely for these reasons Partly for these reasons Solely for these reasons Partly for these reasons Solely for these reasons Partly for these reasons
New Delhi (including Calcutta)
Husbands 56 21 65 16 64 18 63 23 59 22 19 12
Wives 63 21 64 22 63 20 56 29 55 28 36 4
Male fiancés 66 11 156 111 65 24 50 25 1100 — — 150
Female fiancées 71 14 155 136 178 122 60 20 71 18 — —
Bombay (including Madras)
Husbands 58 13 50 10 40 23 40 27 30 16 35 —
Wives 48 9 54 14 41 20 42 9 28 17 31 7
Male fiancés 25 — 150 117 55 9 20 10 118 118 29 6
Female fiancées 114 — 150 — 150 110 140 120 113 150 125 —
Dhaka
Husbands 32 16 38 4 29 13 31 17 17 23 11 20
Wives — — — 9 — — — 2 — — — 1
Male fiancés 150 — — — 1100 — — — — — — —
Female fiancées 150 — — — — 1100 — — — — — —
Islamabad (including Karachi)
Husbands 30 43 24 56 25 46 21 47 24 45 19 44
Wives 4 12 7 12 6 18 6 16 6 13 9 25
Male fiancés 5 47 19 63 17 46 131 146 29 24 42 26
Female fiancées 20 20 19 127 13 19 17 17 143 — — 144
Total Indian sub-continent
Husbands 35 34 29 46 29 35 27 38 24 37 17 34
Wives 22 11 25 14 20 15 17 15 16 13 12 15
Male fiancés 40 18 33 42 43 23 34 25 36 18 33 18
Female fiancées 44 13 37 23 39 19 38 15 48 21 6 24
1Percentages based on fewer than 15 applications refused.

Mr. Henderson

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for leave to remain for an indefinite period on the grounds of marriage to a British or settled spouse from(a) men and (b) women were (i) granted and (ii) refused in 1994 and 1995 to the latest convenient date; of those refusals, how many were refused because the Home Office was not satisfied that (1) the couple intended to stay together permanently as husband and wife, (2) adequate maintenance was available, (3) adequate accommodation was available and (4) how many were refused for other reasons; and of those refused for reason (1), in how many cases domestic violence was alleged. [7654]

Mr. Kirkhope

The available information is given in the table. Allegations of domestic violence are not separately recorded.

Grants and refusals of applications for indefinite leave to remain on the grounds of marriage 1994 and 1995 (January-June)
Men Women
1994 1995 1994 1995
Grants 11,670 6,090 14,920 8,440
Refusals
Intention to live together 340 240 360 220
Maintenance, accommodation, other reasons 20 10 10 10