§ Mr. LidingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for naturalisation on grounds of residence were granted within(a) six months, (b) nine months and (c) 12 months of the date of application in (i) 1997, (ii) 1998, (iii) 1999 and (iv) 2000; and if he will make a statement. [147599]
§ Mrs. Roche[holding answer 29 January 2001]: The information is given in the table. The data are not available for part of the years 1997 and 2000, due to intermittent problems with Information Technol ogy and operator error, but nevertheless comparisons can be made. The table includes only applications made under Section 6(1) of the British Nationality Act 1981, based on five years' residence in the United Kingdom.
Applications decided within: 1997 1998 1999 2000 Total Six months 331 486 1,112 1,371 3,300 Nine months 758 722 1,345 1,819 4,644 12 months 1,946 1,935 1,819 4,733 10,433 Total 3,035 3,143 4,276 7,923 18,377