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Questions
To ask Her Majesty's Government what actions they will take with regard to the administration of the UK Border Agency following the conviction for criminal offences in connection with their official duties of 23 members of the agency staff since February 2006; and how many members or former members of the agency's staff are on trial or awaiting trial for criminal offences in connection with their official activities.[HL14307]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Lord Henley): We expect the highest levels of integrity from staff at the UK Border Agency. Any allegations of inappropriate activity are thoroughly investigated. The UK Border Agency has a wide range of measures in place for internal and external checks on the integrity and honesty of staff. There are six members or former members of the agency's staff on trial or awaiting trial.
To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the nationality qualifications required for employment in the UK Border Agency; and whether they intend to continue the practice of employing former asylum seekers in the agency.[HL14309]
Lord Henley: In October 2004, elements of the nationality and immigration history checks were extended on the instruction of the then Permanent Secretary. Employment by the UK Border Agency is limited solely to British or Commonwealth Citizens or EEA nationals who have lived in the UK continuously for the past three years and who have no restriction on their stay in the United Kingdom.
Anyone who applies for UK Border Agency (UKBA) vacancies would need to meet the relevant eligibility criteria in respect of the nationality and residency requirements as advertised and, in addition, would need to pass the selection process and appropriate level of security clearance required for the post.
For posts within UKBA, candidates must be:
a British citizen;a national of a state in the European Economic Area; ora Commonwealth citizen with no employment restriction or time limit on their stay in the UK.In addition, candidates should normally have lived in the UK continuously for the past three years before applying.
Some posts are reserved (including immigration officers and assistant immigration officers) and are open only to UK nationals (under the terms of the Nationality Act 1996, unless in a civil service post on or before 31 May 1996). These require candidates to be:
a British citizen;a British subject under Part IV of the British Nationality Act 1981 having the right of abode in the UK; and/ora British Dependent Territories citizen acquiring citizenship from a connection with Gibraltar.In addition, candidates should normally have lived in the UK continuously for the past five years before applying.
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many UK Border Agency staff based in the United Kingdom are non-British nationals; and how many hold passports of other countries in addition to their United Kingdom passports.[HL14310]
11 Jan 2012 : Column WA103
Lord Henley: Although the UK Border Agency checks the nationality of its employees before they join, the status is not recorded and there are no central records kept. We cannot therefore give a percentage for those working for the UK Border Agency who are non-British nationals or who hold passports of other countries in addition to their United Kingdom passport.
Visas
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many students from India and Pakistan have been given visas to enter the United Kingdom to study in the past five years; and how many nationals of those countries have left the United Kingdom in the same period according to the International Passenger Survey of the Office for National Statistics. [HL14555]
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The Minister of State, Home Office (Lord Henley): Student statistics from 2007 to September 2011 are shown in the following table:
| Nationality | Student visas issued | Student visitor visas issued |
The Office for National Statistics produces estimates of migration based upon the International Passenger Survey. The latest five-year period for which data are available is 2006 to 2010. The total estimated number of citizens of India and Pakistan who have migrated from the UK for this time period is 80,000 (standard error 6 per cent).
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