§ David DavisTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many full-time equivalent staff778W were employed in the Immigration and Nationality Directorate in each year since 1997; and what the total payroll costs were. [170374]
§ Mr. BrowneThe table shows the full-time equivalent of staff employed in the Immigration and Nationality Directorate in each year since 1997 and pay costs for the same period.
Staffing numbers Total pay costs 1997–98 5,372 136,784,988 1998–99 14,705 134,391,253 1999–2000 15,976 145,498,131 2000–01 7,523 193,600,000 2001–02 9,640 272,484,211 2002–03 11,186 337,121,813 2003–04 13,716 2— 1Year end figure. 2Pay costs for 2003–04 have not yet been finalised.
§ David DavisTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reasons applications under the European Communities Association Agreements are now sent directly to the Immigration and Nationality Directorate rather than via local embassies. [166554]
§ Mr. BrowneThis matter is covered by the investigation which Mr. Ken Sutton is undertaking of the operation of the European Communities Association Agreements (ECAA) scheme for Bulgaria and Romania. I do not wish to pre-empt the investigation by commenting on the issues before it is completed.