HC Deb 27 July 1999 vol 336 cc253-5W
Mr. Pike

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how long it is currently taking the Immigration and Nationality Directorate to respond to correspondence; what progress has been made in reducing the time taken; and if he will make a statement. [92714]

Mr. Mike O'Brien

The latest position is that 60 per cent. of correspondence is responded to within 20 working days, excluding correspondence related to applications and casework. Additional staff are being recruited and overtime exercises are being brought into operation in order to achieve significant improvements in response times.

Mr. Lidington

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made in respect of each month in the current year of the average daily number of(a) callers trying to make a call to the Immigration and Nationality Directorate, (b) calls made to that Directorate and (c) calls answered by the Telephone Caller Unit. [92843]

January February March April May June
Public Caller Unit, Croydon 723 627 723 661 663 862
Asylum Screening Unit, Croydon 325 297 175 226 202 239
Liverpool Public Enquiry Office 44 40 32 26 40 34
Midlands Public Enquiry Office 92 97 86 81 81 117
Glasgow Public Enquiry Office 40 33 43 32 32 54
Belfast Public Enquiry Office 17 14 10 11 14 23

Mr. Lidington

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average waiting time in each month in 1999 and for the most recent date for which information is available for consideration of applications to each of the divisions of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate. [92893]

Mr. Mike O'Brien

The average waiting times in each month of 1999 for nationality cases are set out in the table:

Average waiting times (Months)
Month Naturalisation Registration Overall
January 20.5 9 19.4
February 20.3 7.7 18.9
March 20.6 6.8 19.1
April 20.8 6.4 18.7
May 20.7 7.2 18.9
June 20.5 6.6 18.2

Mr. Mike O'Brien

[holding answer 23 July 1999]: The figures relating to telephone calls to the Immigration and Nationality Directorate are provided each month by British Telecom and are actuals rather than estimates. Daily averages, by month, are set out in the table:

Number of callers Number of calls Calls answered
January n/a 60,043 2,109
February 5,281 50,217 1,669
March 5,432 46,334 1,781
April 4,112 42,601 1,495
May 4,610 48,301 1,535
June 5,617 56,223 1,707

Staff in the Immigration and Nationality Enquiry Bureau (INEB) are being hampered in their ability to deal with calls quickly because of delays in other parts of the Integrated Casework Directorate (ICD), arising from the transition to Team Based Caseworking. Measures are in place to improve the situation, including recruitment of around 300 staff to fill vacancies in ICD. INEB staff are being given more in-depth training in call handling and new staff are being recruited and trained. Much of the increase in calls in June has been connected with passport inquiries.

Mr. Lidington

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average daily number of personal callers to each public inquiry office of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate in each month since the beginning of 1999. [92894]

Mr. Mike O'Brien

The average daily number of callers to each public inquiry office during 1999 is set out in the table:

Average waiting times for immigration and asylum cases are not recorded as Integrated Casework Directorate caseworking procedures give priority to types of application rather than dealing with cases in chronological order. All applications are sifted in the Initial Consideration Unit. Straightforward cases (about 40 per cent.) are dealt with under a fast track procedure within about four weeks of receipt. More complex cases are allocated to Case Management Units for detailed consideration. The length of time between receipt and decision will depend on the complexity of the case. Delays in dealing with cases may be due to a variety of factors, including legal interventions by applicants and court cases.

Mr. Lidington

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the backlog of cases for each of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate's divisions at the end of each month in 1999 and at the latest date for which information is available. [92896]

Mr. Mike O'Brien

The Integrated Casework Directorate, which was set up at the beginning of 1999, handles all nationality, immigration and asylum casework previously dealt with in five separate Immigration and Nationality Directorate divisions. The backlog of immigration and asylum cases, and separately nationality cases, at the end of each month is set out in the table:

Month Number of cases
Immigration and Asylum
January 63,622
February 69,388
March 84,404
April 93,943
May 122,102
June 145,991
Nationality
January 101,600
February 101,100
March 101,700
April 101,700
May 101,000
June 95,200

Ms Oona King

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the countries for whose nationals the fast-track service operated by the Public Caller Unit at the Immigration and Nationality Directorate for the quick determination of certain types of immigration applications is not available. [93304]

Mr. Mike O'Brien

The availability of the fast-track service operated by the Public Caller Unit (PCU) at the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) is normally determined by the category of application rather than the nationality of the applicant, as well as by the individual facts of each case. The only exception to general policy is in respect of North Korean and Libyan nationals. However, in the light of the recent resumption of diplomatic relations with Libya, we are in the process of reviewing our policy towards Libyan nationals. In recent months, because of pressures resulting from the major changes which have taken place in IND, the PCU fast-track service has had to be restricted and occasionally suspended altogether.