HC Deb 03 February 2004 vol 417 cc847-8W
Mr. Oaten

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the estimated cost is of extending the fingerprinting of visa applicants announced on 21 January. [151414]

Mr. Mullin

The cost of introducing fingerprinting in our visa sections in Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Uganda is estimated at £325,000 for the current financial year and £410,000 for the 2004–05 financial year. Costs are being met from the budget allocated to the Home Office Immigration and Nationality Directorate. The costs will include initial

£ million
Region Coalfields1 Community chests1 European Regional Development Fund Areas Housing market Renewal Pathfinders1 Liveability2
2002–03
North East 2.6 2.17 20.34 2.64 0.0
North West 1.1 3.85 57.31 10.56 0.0
Yorkshire and Humberside 5.3 1.95 40.68 5.28 0.0
East Midlands 4.2 1.06 11.09 0.0 0.0
West Midlands 1.6 1.66 24.04 5.28 0.0
East of England 0.0 0.22 5.55 0.0 0.0

start-up expenses such as procurement and deployment of equipment, IT development, additional staff and accommodation changes. Running costs thereafter are estimated at £117,000 per year.