Viscount Chandosasked Her Majesty's Government:
What progress they have made in relation to the proposed pilot study for financial bonds for visitors. [HL3694]
§ Baroness Scotland of AsthalAfter consultations with the Home Office, I can announce that we are unable to proceed with the scheme for the present.
Development work on detailed proposals for the pilot study has identified a number of difficult practical issues. In particular, moves toward a more flexible approach to the operation of the immigration control—including the introduction of new IT systems for issuing visas at posts overseas—have frustrated attempts to design a simple and effective scheme for providing a bond facility for visitors, and for recording their entry to and departure from the UK.
The planned pilot study in Manila and Casablanca will therefore not proceed.