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Entry Clearance (Students)

Mr. Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many student applications for entry clearance from (a) the Indian sub-continent, (b) Africa, (c) the United States, (d) Canada, (e) Australia and (f) New Zealand there were in (i) 2002, (ii) 2003 and (iii) 2004; how many were (A) granted and (B) refused; how many successful appeals there were against refusal; when he introduced fees for in-country variation of leave for students; and what assessment he has made of the reasons for the change in the number of students coming to the UK between 2002 and 2003. [217616]

Mr. Mullin: I have been asked to reply.

The information on student applications for entry clearance, which are issued and refused for the specified areas, is as follows:
April 2001 to March 2002
April 2002 to March 2003
April 2003 to March 2004
VisasIssuedRefusedIssuedRefusedIssuedRefused
(a)Indian Sub-Continent(14)16,19210,50218,80814,33129,40925,827
(b)Africa19,8648,97820,55114,36319,31220,501
(c)US658669981,91733
(d)Canada219129416123
(e)Australia363235514122
(f)New Zealand7456277820


(14) Comprised of Chennai (Madras), Colombo, Dhaka, Islamabad, Karachi, Kathmandu, Kolkata (Calcutta), Mumbai (Bombay), New Delhi.


Figures for April 2004 to March 2005 are not yet available. When they are, they can be found, along with further entry clearance statistics, on the UKvisas website at www.ukvisas.gov.uk—Entry Clearance: Facts and Figures". The figures provided represent pre-entry applications and show a general increase in issues and refusals. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not have figures detailing the number of successful appeals that were made against decisions to refuse entry clearance.

The Home Office introduced fees for in-country leave to remain applications in August 2003. A joint project undertaken recently by the Home Office, the Department for Education and Skills, and the British Council includes an assessment of the impact of the charges on the numbers of international students coming to the UK (see particularly Sections 5 and 6 of the report). The report was published on the Home Office website on 7 February 2005 and is available at www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk (Link through News"—to Press Releases and Announcements"—to 2005 IND Fee Review"—to Improving the Evidence on International Students").

EU Directive 2004/81

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 9 December 2004, Official Report, column 741W on EU Directive 2004/81, if he will publish the review undertaken. [217585]

Mr. Browne: The cross Whitehall review referred to in my response to the hon. Member, 9 December 2004, Official Report, column 741W, was an internal process and was not intended for publication.

Freedom of Information

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what categories of information are available
 
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under Freedom of Information legislation that have not been provided in written parliamentary answers by his Department in the last three years. [207835]

Fiona Mactaggart: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs (Mr. Leslie) on 24 January 2005, Official Report, column 140W.

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his policy is in respect of the publication (a) on the departmental website and (b) by placing copies in the Library of (i) all or (ii) a selection of the information disclosed in response to Freedom of Information requests since January. [215217]

Fiona Mactaggart: Guidance on Publication Schemes, issued by the Department for Constitutional Affairs in July 2002, recommended that where information is disclosed to an individual in response to a request under the Freedom of Information Act, Departments and non-departmental public bodies should consider whether the information disclosed is of general interest and include released information in the Publication Scheme where appropriate.

Both our policy and our Publication Scheme is currently being developed to ensure that where information releases are likely to be of interest to the wider public the information is routinely and simultaneously disclosed on the departmental website, and additional classes considered for inclusion within the Publication Scheme, where it is appropriate. We do not currently have plans to place copies of released information in the Library.

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions when considering requests to his Department for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 it has been necessary to extend the statutory reply period beyond 20 working days because of consideration of whether the request might result in a breach of national security. [214643]

Fiona Mactaggart: For the period from 1 January to 4 February, there has been one case in the Home Office where we have written to the applicant, extending the deadline because we are considering the public interest test in relation to the exemption contained within s.24 (national security).

Initiatives (Funding)

Mr. Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what budget has been allocated to the Home Office Internal Communications Unit in each of the last two years; and how many staff have been employed by the Unit in each year. [201893]

Fiona Mactaggart: The Home Office Internal Communication Unit's budget was £1.593 million in the financial year 2003–04, when it employed 19 staff.

In 2004–05 the Unit's budget was £1.619 million and 21 staff were employed.

Religious Qualifications

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the outcome of his consultations with faith groups on
 
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his Department's proposal to introduce religious qualification requirements for those seeking admission as a Minister of Religion. [216801]

Fiona Mactaggart: We have carried out extensive consultation with faith bodies and representatives about the introduction of a pre-entry English language requirement for Ministers of Religion from abroad that came into effect last August. Individuals now applying for leave to enter the United Kingdom as Ministers of Religion are required to demonstrate that they are competent in the use of spoken English, to level 4 of the International Language Testing System, this will be raised to level 6 after two-years.

We will shortly begin a further stage of consultation with faith communities on other requirements the Government are considering introducing to ensure that Ministers of Religion admitted from abroad are able to play a full role in their communities and gain an understanding and appreciation of British civic life. An announcement about the launch of this consultation will be made in February.

Rural Policing Fund

Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he plans to expand in real terms the Rural Policing Fund. [214466]

Ms Blears: There are no plans to expand the Rural Policing Fund. We consider it is fairer to put any increases in grant into the main £4.6 billion Home Office general police grant provision. The Rural Policing Fund remains a discrete £30 million pot outside the main formula grant arrangements for 2005–06. It is paid to 31 police authorities.

Small and Medium-sized Enterprises

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the New Grant Programme for small and medium-sized (SME) enterprises to be launched on 26 January by the Home Office is applicable to SMEs in Scotland. [209145]

Fiona Mactaggart [holding answer 17 January 2005]: The Payroll Giving Grant Programme does apply to SME's in Scotland and a dedicated launch event took place in Scotland on 2 February.


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