Written question asked by Neil Gerrard (Labour), in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 12 March 1997. It was answered by Lord Kirkhope of Harrogate (Conservative) on Wednesday, 12 March 1997 on behalf of the Home Office.

Home Office

Question: How many applications by spouses to enter the United Kingdom have been refused under the primary purpose rule in each of the last three years for which figures are available. - Includes table for Indian sub-continent and fact that corresponding information for non-Indian subcontinent posts is not collected centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Answer: Mr. Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications by spouses to enter the United Kingdom have been refused under the primary purpose rule in each of the last three years for which figures are available. [19500] Mr. Kirkhope: The latest available information for the Indian sub-continent is given in the table. Corresponding information for non-ISC posts is not collected centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Initial refusals of entry clearance on primary purpose grounds for spouses in the Indian sub-continent, 1993-95 Numbers{1} _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Husbands Wives Solely on primary Partly on primary Solely on primary Partly on primary purpose grounds purpose grounds purpose grounds purpose grounds 1993 800 970 180 130 1994 750 940 270 180 1995 640 1,130 240 300 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. {1} All figures are rounded to the nearest 10.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 19500; 292 c214-5W
Session: 1996-97
Subjects: Applications Dependants Immigration controls Immigration Migrants Married people South Asia Primary purpose rule
Contains statistics: Yes