§ Mr. GummerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements are made for members of the public to visit the offices handling visa applications. [31954]
876W
§ Angela EagleThe Immigration and Nationality Public Enquiry Office based in Croydon provides a fast track service for all straightforward applications for further leave and indefinite leave to remain combined with an urgent return of passport facility. All callers are seen on the day. Three other regional inquiry offices based in Liverpool, Birmingham and Glasgow offer a more restricted service in terms of opening hours and the type of applications they are able to consider.
§ Mr. GummerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will announce to Parliament when the average time taken for completing applications for student visas has reached his target figure of three weeks. [31958]
§ Angela EagleWe aim to decide 70 per cent. of all new general and settlement applications within three weeks. We are working hard to achieve this as soon as possible. Information on the Immigration Nationality Directorate website will be regularly updated to reflect the current position. This will also be included in information provided by the Immigration and Nationality Enquiry Bureau and in letters acknowledging receipt of applications.
§ Mr. GummerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what changes are being introduced to improve the administration of the issuing of student visas; [31952]
(2) what assessment has been made of the extra time required to reduce the backlog of work in which the Department processes one year student visas. [31957]
§ Angela EagleWe are making best use of current resources and looking at options for additional staff in order to reduce the time taken to process new general immigration cases and to reduce the backlog of such cases, including those made by overseas nationals who are studying in the United Kingdom. We aim to reduce the turnaround time for new straightforward applications to three weeks as soon as possible.
§ Mr. GummerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will issue guidance to staff dealing with student visas on the importance of providing a fast, efficient and courteous service. [31951]
§ Angela EagleAll staff are aware of the need to carry out their duties in a professional manner. Performance is continually monitored by management who would take appropriate action to remedy any weaknesses. Any allegations of inefficiency or discourtesy will be fully investigated.
§ Mr. GummerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what training is given to staff who deal directly with the public who visit the visa issuing office. [31953]
§ Angela EagleAll staff within the Immigration and Nationality Directorate posted to the Public Enquiry Office in Croydon receive induction training on joining the service, plus a further two weeks of immigration rules based modular training. Additionally, during their initial six to eight weeks they are mentored by experienced public counter officers. All elements of the training focus on providing a fast, fair and professional service to the public.
877W
§ Mr. GummerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the processing of one year student visas will achieve the target of completion in three weeks for 70 per cent. of applications. [31956]
§ Angela EagleAs a result of the measures being taken we expect significant progress to have been made in deciding 70 per cent. of all new immigration applications within three weeks by the spring.
§ Mr. GummerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 18 January 2002,Official Report, columns 550–51W, on visas, how he will calculate the average waiting time to process a one year student visa when applications are decided within three weeks. [32083]
§ Angela EagleWe would expect the majority of student applications to be decided within three weeks. However, we are introducing a casework information database which, when fully operational, will enable us to monitor our performance on general immigration casework more effectively.
§ Mr. GummerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what training staff receive in answering telephone queries on visa applications. [31955]
§ Angela EagleStaff attend a 10-day training course in the Immigration Rules before joining the Immigration and Nationality Enquiry Bureau (INEB). They then join a mentoring programme in INEB where they progress from listening to calls with experienced members of staff to taking a number of calls with a mentor listening in.
When their mentor and the new agent feel they are ready they are listened in to by a senior mentor and their line manager before they are allowed to take calls without another member of staff listening in. The length of time this takes varies from person to person and can take between 10 days and several weeks. Also, agents receive regular mentoring and training on all aspects of the Immigration Rules throughout their time in INEB.