§ Mr. St. AubynTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many au pairs were registered with the police under the terms of the au pair scheme in(a) May 1997, (b) July 1998 and (c) the latest month for which figures are available. [74488]
§ Mr. Mike O'Brien[holding answer 5 March 1999]: Statistical information about the number of "au pairs" who registered with the police because of the imposition of such a requirement by an immigration officer on entry is not available. However, the table showing the number of "au pairs" given leave to enter the United Kingdom in the specified months gives a strong indication of the number who might have been expected to have a registration requirement imposed.
As a result of the changes to the scope of the Police Registration Scheme which came into effect on 11 May 1998, only those foreign nationals from the countries or territories listed in Appendix 2 of the Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules will normally be required to register with the police from that date. This means that it is only "au pairs" from Turkey who will normally have been required to register with the police since then.
Passengers given leave to enter the United Kingdom as au pairs, during given months and by given national, 1997 and 19986 Nationality May 1997 July 1998 November 1998 Cyprus 4— 4— 4— Czechoslovak passport holders1 10 3— 3— Czech Republic2 230 610 360 Slovakia 190 680 190 Hungary 90 190 110 Malta 5— 5— 5— Switzerland 10 20 10 Turkey 80 100 120 Bosnia 3— 4— 5— Croatia 10 20 40 Macedonia 10 30 20 Slovenia 10 10 10 Faroe Islands 5— 4— 5— Total 650 1,680 870 1 Persons still travelling on passport issued by the former government 2 1998 data include holders of Czechoslovakian passports 3 Not available 4 Negligible (i.e. five or fewer) 5 Nil 6 1998 data are provisional Note:
The figures in this table have been rounded to three significant digits, or to the nearest 10 if fewer than 1000; because of this the sum of the constituent items may not agree with the total as shown.
28W
§ Mr. St. AubynTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate the costs saved since August 1998, following the relaxation of the rules requiring au pairs to register with the police after being in the United Kingdom for six months. [74489]
§ Mr. Mike O'Brien[holding answer 5 March 1999]: The Police Registration Scheme is administered by the police on a cost recovery basis, with the current fee standing at £34. Until the scope of the Police Registration Scheme was amended on 11 May 1998 "au pairs" given leave to enter the United Kingdom for a period of over six months were required, as a condition of that leave, to register with the police within seven days of arrival. Since that date only foreign nationals from the countries or territories listed in Appendix 2 to the Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules should normally be required to register. The changes to the scope of the registration scheme in respect of "au pairs" have not resulted in any cost saving to the police or central Home Office.