HC Deb 09 February 2001 vol 362 cc735-7W
Mr. Simon Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the conclusions were of the ministerial review of family visit appeals conducted between 20 November 2000 and 11 January 2001; and if he will place a report of the review team's findings in the Library. [149534]

Mrs. Roche

I refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Brent, North (Mr. Gardiner) on 11 January 2001,Official Report, column 609W. The ministerial review was completed in January and resulted in the reduction of the fees for appealing against a decision to refuse a visit visa as a family visitor to £125 and £50 from £500 and £150. A team of officials will continue to review other aspects of these appeals. A copy of their terms of reference will be placed in the Library.

Mr.Simon Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the net income from fees for family visit appeals since 2 October 2000; and what proportion of this net income relates to appeals which are outstanding. [149535]

Mrs.Roche

The current figures for net income from fees for family visitor appeals in the period 2 October to 31 December 2000 is £16,800. Of this, 31 per cent. related to appeals which are currently outstanding and which may result in further refunds.

Mr.Simon Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the total cost to his Department of administering family visit appeal fees since 2 October 2000. [149536]

Mrs.Roche

Payments are administered by diplomatic posts overseas. The Home Office reimburses the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for refunds following successful appeals. The small administrative costs of doing so are contained within existing resources.

Mr.Simon Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the anticipated net annual income is from family visit appeal fees. [149537]

Mrs.Roche

On the basis of our current planning assumptions, the anticipated net income (gross income minus refund payments) from family visitor appeal fees in a full year is around £560,000.

Mr.Simon Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the anticipated cost is to his and other Departments of collecting and refunding family visit appeal fees. [149538]

Mrs.Roche

The process of collection and refunding family visitor appeal fees is administered by diplomatic posts overseas. These costs are minimal and will be met through efficiency savings. Since the Court Service is not involved in the collection process, it has no significant costs to meet. The Home Office reimburses the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for refunds made following successful appeals. The small administrative costs of doing so are contained within existing resources. The only other cost involved is that of the refund payments themselves. We estimate that this will settle at around £370,000 for a full year.

Mr.Simon Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have exercised a human rights appeal under section 65 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 against decisions refusing entry clearance; and, of that number, how many applied for entry as a family visitor. [149529]

Mrs.Roche

To obtain this information, we would have to examine individual case files. It is available, therefore, only at disproportionate cost.