HC Deb 19 March 1999 vol 327 cc827-8W
Mr. Edward Davey

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list, by date, the number of people who have been turned away after queuing at the Immigration and Nationality Directorate on each day after 1 February. [77809]

Mr. Mike O'Brien

From 1 February to 4 March, all callers attending the Immigration and Nationality Directorate Public Caller Unit (PCU) were seen by an officer. On Wednesday 4 March, following a disturbance by certain individuals in the queue, it proved necessary to close the doors to the public early. In the light of the incident it was decided that for Health and Safety reasons and for a temporary period, only the first 400 callers would be allowed in to the PCU each day. This restricted service was also in operation on 5, 8 and 9 March whilst managers considered how to provide better facilities for callers. I regret that figures were not kept of the number of callers turned away during those four days.

Since 10 March, additional temporary accommodation has been used and all callers to the PCU are again being seen on the day by a member of staff. I am informed that the PCU is now dealing with more people each day than it was in the second half of last year.

Mr. Vaz

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many complaints he has received about the operation of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate since 1 January. [76962]

Mr. Mike O'Brien

There has been an increase in complaints about the operation of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) following the introduction of the new caseworking arrangements in IND headquarters in Croydon and the disruption caused by the relocation of about 900 staff and 200,000 files. However, the numbers of complaints are not recorded.