§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean):Copies of the first annual report by Fiona Lindsley, the Independent Monitor for Entry Clearance refusals without the right of appeal, will be placed in the Library of the House today.
The report covers a review of decisions taken in the calendar year 2002. It should have been submitted by 30 November 2003, but was delayed due to the late appointment of the independent monitor. I thank Ms Lindsley for her hard work in completing her first report as Independent Monitor for Entry Clearance.
We welcome Ms Lindsley's report. It contains a number of interesting recommendations, a number of which have already been addressed.
Ms Lindsley has started working on her second report, for the calendar year 2003, which should be submitted to my right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary (Mr Jack Straw) by 30 November 2004.