§ Mr. Heathcoat-AmoryTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the statement by the Minister for Citizenship and Immigration of 8 March 2004,Official Report, columns 1245–52W, on the European Communities Association Agreement, if he will issue amended immigration statistics for the relevant period and categories. [161434]
§ Mr. BrowneStatistics on European Communities Association Agreement (ECAA) are management information collected by The Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND).
Statistics on the Control of Immigration produced by the Research and Statistics Directorate of the Home Office are part of the National Statistics, and are covered by the National Statistics Code of Practice. This means they are free from political interference and are produced to high professional principles and standards.
There are no plans to issue any corrections to these statistics arising from the statement on the European Communities Association Agreement, as management information on the ECAA are not included in the Control of Immigration Statistics.
§ David DavisTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether Ministers in his Department were informed of the letter from John Ramsden to Chris Mace, of 5 November 2002, regarding the operation of the European Communities Association Agreement scheme. [166559]
§ Mr. BrowneThis matter is covered by the investigation which Mr. Ken Sutton is undertaking of the operation of the European Community Association Agreement scheme for Bulgaria and Romania. I do not wish to pre-empt the investigation by commenting on the issues before it is completed.