My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary is today laying before the House a statement of changes in immigration rules as set out below.

The Government are making a package of changes to points-based system work routes to improve flexibility for applicants and help to boost economic growth.

This includes expanding...

My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary is today laying before the House a statement of changes in immigration rules as set out below.

The Government are making a package of changes to points-based system work routes to improve flexibility for applicants and help to boost economic growth.

This includes expanding...

My hon Friend the Minister for Immigration and Security (James Brokenshire) has today made the following Written Ministerial Statement:

My Rt Hon Friend the Home Secretary is today laying before the House a Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules as set out below.

The Government is making a package of changes...

My hon Friend the Minister for Immigration and Security (James Brokenshire) has today made the following Written Ministerial Statement:

My Rt Hon Friend the Home Secretary is today laying before the House a Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules as set out below.

The Government is making a package of changes...

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Neville-Jones on 7 February (WA 40), whether the 165 certificates of sponsorship to work in the United Kingdom applied for in 2010 from nationals from Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Jamaica, Peru and Venezuela with no stated occupation...

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Neville-Jones on 7 February (WA 40), whether the 165 certificates of sponsorship to work in the United Kingdom applied for in 2010 from nationals from Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Jamaica, Peru and Venezuela with no stated occupation...

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Neville-Jones on 25 January (WA 159–60), how many certificates of sponsorship to work in the United Kingdom were issued last year to nationals from (a) Bolivia, (b) Colombia, (c) Cuba, (d) Dominican Republic, (e) Ecuador, (f) Guyana, (g)...

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Neville-Jones on 25 January (WA 159–60), how many certificates of sponsorship to work in the United Kingdom were issued last year to nationals from (a) Bolivia, (b) Colombia, (c) Cuba, (d) Dominican Republic, (e) Ecuador, (f) Guyana, (g)...

I congratulate the hon. Member for Islington, North (Jeremy Corbyn) on securing this debate. He has long championed the cause of Parliament taking a greater interest than we tend to do in the affairs of this region. I share his regret that we rarely have the opportunity to debate a...

I congratulate the hon. Member for Islington, North (Jeremy Corbyn) on securing this debate. He has long championed the cause of Parliament taking a greater interest than we tend to do in the affairs of this region. I share his regret that we rarely have the opportunity to debate a...

I am sorry, but I have to finish in order to give other speakers the chance to sum up for their parties. I believe that there is cause for optimism, as all Members have said, and I hope that it will not be long we revisit the issue.

I am sorry, but I have to finish in order to give other speakers the chance to sum up for their parties. I believe that there is cause for optimism, as all Members have said, and I hope that it will not be long we revisit the issue.

Will the hon. Lady give way?

Will the hon. Lady give way?

Indeed; the hon. Gentleman raises a very important point. The UN special rapporteur on the right to food called the growth in biofuels "a crime against humanity", which is pretty strong and stark language but certainly highlights the scale of the problem. There are many unintended consequences from the production...

Indeed; the hon. Gentleman raises a very important point. The UN special rapporteur on the right to food called the growth in biofuels "a crime against humanity", which is pretty strong and stark language but certainly highlights the scale of the problem. There are many unintended consequences from the production...

The hon. Lady may know that one of the problems is that the growth in maize-based ethanol has forced up the price of maize, and thus tortillas, which are the only sustainable form of food for many poor people, particularly in central America. Essentially, those people are starving to feed...

The hon. Lady may know that one of the problems is that the growth in maize-based ethanol has forced up the price of maize, and thus tortillas, which are the only sustainable form of food for many poor people, particularly in central America. Essentially, those people are starving to feed...

I, too, congratulate the hon. Member for Islington, North (Jeremy Corbyn) on securing the debate. One and a half hours seems a short time in which to cover thoroughly the many issues affecting a huge continent, but it is good that in this short debate we have been able to...

I, too, congratulate the hon. Member for Islington, North (Jeremy Corbyn) on securing the debate. One and a half hours seems a short time in which to cover thoroughly the many issues affecting a huge continent, but it is good that in this short debate we have been able to...

I will not respond to that. There are some other things that I need to put on the record. For ordinary Venezuelans, progress under Chavez has been quite impressive. More than 2.5 million people have been lifted out of poverty. Even though oil prices were high at the time, the...

I will not respond to that. There are some other things that I need to put on the record. For ordinary Venezuelans, progress under Chavez has been quite impressive. More than 2.5 million people have been lifted out of poverty. Even though oil prices were high at the time, the...

We never said a thing.

We never said a thing.

I am happy to draw my hon. Friend's comments to the attention of the Home Office, but there was considerable discussion of the visa waiver test. On Venezuela, many discussions were held on how we can ensure that countries fulfil their obligations and that we are satisfied that the right...

I am happy to draw my hon. Friend's comments to the attention of the Home Office, but there was considerable discussion of the visa waiver test. On Venezuela, many discussions were held on how we can ensure that countries fulfil their obligations and that we are satisfied that the right...

Of the 20 generally recognised Latin American countries, the UK runs a balance-of-trade deficit with 11. Does the Minister agree that the scope for greater trade with south America is huge? What extra efforts can the Government make in that respect?

Of the 20 generally recognised Latin American countries, the UK runs a balance-of-trade deficit with 11. Does the Minister agree that the scope for greater trade with south America is huge? What extra efforts can the Government make in that respect?

I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Islington, North (Jeremy Corbyn) on securing today's debate, which provides hon. Members with a welcome opportunity to discuss the UK's relationship with Latin American countries and the importance of the region as a whole. In the short time available to me, I...

I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Islington, North (Jeremy Corbyn) on securing today's debate, which provides hon. Members with a welcome opportunity to discuss the UK's relationship with Latin American countries and the importance of the region as a whole. In the short time available to me, I...

Before we leave the subject of Bolivia, will the Minister pass on to Home Office Ministers the concern that we heard in all quarters in Bolivia about the introduction of a visa regime for that country? There is a feeling that not enough consultation has been carried out, and there...

Before we leave the subject of Bolivia, will the Minister pass on to Home Office Ministers the concern that we heard in all quarters in Bolivia about the introduction of a visa regime for that country? There is a feeling that not enough consultation has been carried out, and there...

I would certainly agree. My visit to Brazil showed me those great opportunities to which hon. Members have referred. All our posts in the region have very clear business plans. Cross-Whitehall mechanisms exist, especially for our Brazil and Mexico strategies, but we can do more, and UK Trade & Investment...

I would certainly agree. My visit to Brazil showed me those great opportunities to which hon. Members have referred. All our posts in the region have very clear business plans. Cross-Whitehall mechanisms exist, especially for our Brazil and Mexico strategies, but we can do more, and UK Trade & Investment...

My hon. Friend makes a strong point, and I hope that if the Minister does not have time to reply in detail she will write to Members. I turn to the negotiations with central America and the Andean countries. Lady Ashton, the trade commissioner in Brussels, has said that she...

My hon. Friend makes a strong point, and I hope that if the Minister does not have time to reply in detail she will write to Members. I turn to the negotiations with central America and the Andean countries. Lady Ashton, the trade commissioner in Brussels, has said that she...

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for giving way, as he has so little time. Does he not agree that the EU-south American ministerial meeting in May this year in Prague will be an ideal opportunity to make progress on that front? Will he press the Minister to say...

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for giving way, as he has so little time. Does he not agree that the EU-south American ministerial meeting in May this year in Prague will be an ideal opportunity to make progress on that front? Will he press the Minister to say...