HC Deb 26 January 2001 vol 361 c772W
Mr. Cox

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many applicants are awaiting interview for entry into the UK as permanent settlers at British High Commission offices in(a) Pakistan, (b) India and (c) Sri Lanka. [146498]

Mr. Vaz

The number of applicants awaiting settlement interviews fluctuates during the year in response to seasonal pressures. The following figures give the numbers at the end of December 2000 in the countries concerned. The posts at Islamabad, Bombay and New Delhi divide settlement applications into four interview queues. The queue groupings are:

  • Queue 1—Right of abode cases and dependent relatives over 65;
  • Queue 2—Spouses and children under 18;
  • Queue 3—Fiance(e)s and other first time applicants;
  • Queue 4—Re-applicants;
The visa sections at Karachi, Calcutta, Madras and Colombo have one queue for all settlement applications.

Pakistan Islamabad

  • Q1–52
  • Q2–2,825
  • Q3–299
  • Q4–239
Karachi—73

India Bombay

  • Q1–0
  • Q2–243
  • Q3–75
  • Q4–32
Calcutta—0 Madras—51 New Delhi
  • Q1–17
  • Q2–139
  • Q3–129
  • Q4–56

Sri Lanka Colombo—63.

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