asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what instructions or guidance are given to immigration officers with respect to the housing circumstances of British nationals resident in the United Kingdom whose wives wish to join them from abroad.
The immigration rules governing the admission of dependants of a person settled in the United Kingdom —the sponsor—require him to show that he is able and willing to maintain and accommodate the dependants without recourse to public funds in accommodation of his own or occupied by him. These rules apply to wives who are subject to immigration control, except those married to a Commonwealth citizen who was settled in the United Kingdom on 1 January 1973.A wife seeking admission under these rules requires an entry clearance. Entry clearance officers are instructed in the requirements of the rules and make such inquires as are necessary, including in some cases inquiries in this country, to establish that the requirements of the rules have been met.