HC Deb 06 December 1999 vol 340 cc386-7W
Mr. McCabe

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria are used to assess the validity of marriages in cases where the husband has been allowed residence in the United Kingdom following marriage. [100616]

Mrs. Roche

Before indefinite leave to remain in the United Kingdom is granted on the basis of marriage, we must be satisfied that the marriage is genuine and subsisting. Appropriate checks are carried out in order to ensure that these criteria are met. The validity of a marriage in cases where indefinite leave to remain has been granted would not normally be investigated unless there were strong grounds to believe that leave was obtained by deception.