§ Mr. HendersonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for entry clearance from(a) wives, (b) husbands, (c) fiancés,(d) fiancees made at British posts in (1) New Delhi, (2) Bombay, (3) Calcutta, (4) Madras, (5) Dhaka, (6) Islmabad, (7) Karachi, (8) Colombo, (9) Accra, (10) Lagos, (11) Manila, (12) Bangkok, (13) Washington and (14) Ottawa for (y) each quarter since January 1995, and (z) in total, were (a) received, (b) granted and (c) refused; how many refusals at each post were (i) wholly and (ii) 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 (i) wholly and (ii) partly because the visa officer was not satisfied that the couple could support and accommodate themselves without recourse to public funds; what was the refusal rate at each post; and what percentage of those refusals were (x) wholly and (y) partly on primary purpose grounds. [38074]
§ Mr. KirkhopeInformation for the Indian sub-continent for each quarter of 1995 and the first quarter of 1996 is given in the tables. As they are lengthy, copies of these have been placed in the Library. Where numbers are small, figures for individual posts have been combined. Information on reasons for refusals is not complied for periods shorter than 12 months. Corresponding information for Colombo, Accra, Lagos, Manila, Bangkok, Washington and Ottawa is not available centrally.
§ Mr. HendersonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were waiting for special quota vouchers in(a) India, (b) east Africa and (c) the rest of the world in (i) June 1995, (ii) December 1995 and (iii) June 1996; when those issued with vouchers on those dates had applied; how many vouchers were issued in (1) India, (2) east Africa and (3) the rest of the world in (A) 1995 and (B) the first half of 1996; when those applying now can expect to receive vouchers; and how many applicants there were for vouchers in (v) India and (w) east Africa and (x) the rest of the world in (y) 1995 and (z) the first half of 1996. [38078]
§ (c) Mr. KirkhopeThe available information is given in the tables. 43W
Persons applying for a special voucher of entry to the United Kingdom, 1995 and 1996 Persons Applications newly received1 Vouchers issued Applications awaiting a decision at the end of: 1995 Ql 1996 Q2 1996 1995 Ql 1996 Q2 1996 Q2 1995 Q4 1995 Q2 1996 India 290 80 50 180 50 50 90 120 140 Kenya 130 n/a n/a 120 n/a n/a 120 90 n/a Tanzania 20 2— 2— 2— 10 2— 40 40 30 Malawi 2— 2— 2— 2— 2— nil nil 2— 2— Zambia 2— 2— 2— 2— 2— 2— 2— 2— 2— Rest of the world 2— 2— 2— 2— 2— n/a 2— 2— n/a 1Includes applications subsequently withdrawn or lapsed.2 5 or fewer. n/a = Data not available.
Waiting times for persons applying for a special voucher, 1995 and 1996 Months Waiting times to first interview for persons at end of: Persons applying at end of: June 1995 December 1995 June 1996 India Nil Nil Nil Kenya 1.00 0.25 n/a Tanzania 1.5 1.00 1.00 Malawi 0.25 0.25 0.25 Zambia n/a n/a n/a Rest of the World n/a n/a n/a n/a = Not available
§ Mr. HendersonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average time taken by his Department to investigate cases referred from overseas posts in order to assess whether the maintenance and accommodation requirements of the immigration rules have been met. [38066]
§ Mr. KirkhopeThe information requested is not available centrally.
§ Mr. HendersonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate as to how many applications for(a) adult registration with entitlement,(b) naturalisation and (c) registration of minors his Department (i) will receive and (ii) expects to grant in 1996–97. [38072]
§ Mr. KirkhopeThe latest estimate of the number of citizenship applications likely to be received and granted in 1996–97 is as follows:
Intake Applications granted Adult registration 3,800 3,300 Naturalisation 40,500 32,200 Minor registration 11,000 10,400 Total 55,300 45,900
§ Mr. HendersonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many operations against people alleged to be in the United Kingdom illegally, involving both immigration officers and police, took place during 1995 and 1996 to the latest convenient date; and for each operation by date and by name, how many(a) immigration officers and (b) police officers were involved, how many people were arrested and found to be (i) legally in the United Kingdom, (ii) in breach of 44W immigration conditions, (iii) alleged illegal entrants and (iv) British citizens; how many requested and were granted legal advice before interview; how many were detained for (x) one day or less, (y) between a day and a week and (z) over a week; and how many have subsequently left the United Kingdom. [38060]
§ Mr. KirkhopeThe information requested is not recorded centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. HendersonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for(a) single entry and (b) multiple entry visit visas were (i) received, (ii) granted and (iii) refused at each post in the Indian sub-continent, Ghana, Nigeria, the Philippines and Jamaica in each quarter of 1995 and the first quarters of 1996; and what was the delay between application and interview for those whose applications were felt to need a second or long interview at each of those posts in (i) June 1995, (ii) January 1996 and (iii) June 1996 or the nearest available date. [38069]
§ Mr. KirkhopeThe information requested is not readily available and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost. I would refer the hon. Member to my answer to his question on 9 January,Official Report, columns 191–92.
§ Mr. HendersonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) husbands, (b) wives and (c) dependent children have been refused (i) extension of stay and (ii) settlement in the United Kingdom on the grounds that he is not satisfied that they can be maintained and accommodated without recourse to public funds, in each quarter since January 1995, and in total. [38083]
§ Mr. KirkhopeThe available information relating to after entry cases is given in the table. Information on dependent children is not readily available.
45W
Refusals1 on grounds of maintenance and accommodation, of after-entry applications by husbands and wives (numbers of persons) Refusals to grant probationary year on grounds of: Accommodation Maintenance Maintenance and accommodation Refusals of settlement after probationary year2 1995 Quarter 1 Husbands — 2 — 10 Wives — 2 — 5
Refusals1 on grounds of maintenance and accommodation, of after-entry applications by husbands and wives (numbers of persons) Refusals to grant probationary year on grounds of: Accommodation Maintenance Maintenance and accommodation Refusals of settlement after probationary year2 Quarter 2 Husbands — — — 2 Wives — 2 2 2 Quarter 3 Husbands 1 — — 6 Wives 2 1 2 5 Quarter 4 Husbands 1 1 2 6 Wives 1 2 4 3 1996 Quarter 1 Husbands — — — 3 Wives — 1 2 2 Quarter 2 Husbands — — — 6 Wives — 1 — 1 Total Husbands 2 3 2 33 Wives 3 9 10 18 1 Excluding dependants.2 Refusals of settlement after probationary year on general considerations, including recourse to public funds. 46W
Applications for entry clearance for settlement made by wives and children in Dhaka and Islamabad, 1995 to 1996 1995 1996 Year Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Applications newly received1 Dhaka 540 750 580 500 2,370 440 Islamabad 1,080 960 900 900 3,840 1,110 Applications granted2 Dhaka 330 360 370 460 1,510 320 Islamabad 590 770 620 540 2,530 820 Applications refused initially Dhaka 260 310 410 340 1,320 250 Islamabad 260 250 320 320 1,170 420 Applications withdrawn or lapsed Dhaka 4— 4— 10 4— 20 20 Islamabad 50 100 80 60 290 70 Applications outstanding at end of period Dhaka 2,190 2,320 2,160 1,880 1,880 1,760 Islamabad 2,830 2,810 2,800 2,870 2,870 2,790 Applicants awaiting first interview at end of period Dhaka3 30 20 nil nil nil nil Islamabad 970 1,290 1,440 1,280 1,280 1,340 1 Including applications subsequently withdrawn or lapsed. 2 Granted initially or on appeal. 3 In Dhaka the majority of applications are resolved without interview. 4 Five or fewer.
§ Mr. HendersonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people during 1995 and the first quarter of 1996 were(a) required to undergo a medical examination and (b) refused entry clearance abroad and in which countries, for (i) settlement and (ii) other purposes on medical grounds; and what are the most common medical grounds for refusal. [38061]
§ Mr. KirkhopeThis information is not collected centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. HendersonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for settlement by wives and children in(a) Dhaka and (b) Islamabad were (i) received, (ii) granted, (iii) refused, (iv) deferred at first interview, (v) lapsed and (vi) outstanding and awaiting first interview for each quarter since the beginning of 1995. [38071]
§ Mr. KirkhopeThe available information is given in the table.
47W
§ Mr. HendersonTo 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 post and (d) asylum seekers; and what are the average times applicants in each category might expect to wait before a decision. [38067]
Mr. KirhopeThe available information is that at the end of June 1996 there were in total about 21,500 cases in the general immigration and settlement caseworking groups of the after entry and appeals directorate—including referred entry clearance applications—the majority of which were under consideration of the subject of further inquiries, and about 64,700 cases in the asylum directorate caseworking teams.
The estimated average length of time between the receipt of an application and the decision for cases in AEAD caseworking groups, in the second quarter of 1996, was about three months for students. The waiting time for asylum applications is on average about 11 months for post-Asylum and Immigration Appeals Act 1993 cases and 45 months for those made before. Information on average waiting times for family members in the United Kingdom for variation of leave and for settlement entry clearance application referred from overseas posts is not available.
§ Mr. HendersonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for British citizenship under section 4(5) of the British Nationality Act 1981 have been(a) made, (b) granted and (c) refused in each quarter since January 1994; and how many of those granted have been on the grounds of service in the armed forces. [38073]
§ Mr. KirkhopeOne application was received in each of the months April, September and December 1994, June 1995 and June 1996. Of these, one has been granted, three have been refused and one has not yet been decided. The application which was granted was made on the ground of service in the armed forces.