§ Ms DrownTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list by country the(a) number and (b) proportion of applications for visitors visas that were refused in each of the last five years. [31662]
§ Mr. FatchettThe numbers and proportions of visitors visa refused, worldwide, for the last 5 years, are as follows:
Year Number of refusals Percentage of applications 19971 57,612 6.1 1996 78,424 5.9 1995 72,626 6.5 1994 64,566 6.2 1993 60,183 6.5 1 Based on returns from 98 per cent. of Posts. Migration and Visa Division of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office keep statistics giving a breakdown, by each Entry Clearance Issuing Post, of the number and proportion of visas refused at each Post. I will arrange for these to be sent to my hon. Friend.