To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in each quarter since January 1997, (a) how many applications for leave to remain on the basis of marriage were received, (b) what the normal time taken to full initial screening and decisions on straightforward cases was, (c) what the time taken to deal with those applications not considered straightforward was and (d) how many staff were employed in the relevant departments of the IND dealing with these applications. [99779]
The latest available statistics are given in the following table. The information relates to grants and refusals of extensions of leave to remain on the basis of marriage for each quarter 1997 to 2001. Data for 2002 will be published later this year. Information on the number of applications lodged is not currently available.
| Grants and refusals of extensions of leave to remain on the basis of marriage in the United Kingdom, excluding EEA nationals, 1997 to 2001 | |||||
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Total | |
| 1997 | |||||
| Grants | 4,060 | 3,965 | 4,105 | 3,650 | 15,780 |
| Refusals | 385 | 360 | 280 | 210 | 1,235 |
| 1998 | |||||
| Grants | 4,075 | 3,670 | 4,020 | 3,635 | 15,400 |
| Refusals | 290 | 255 | 210 | 130 | 885 |
| 1999 | |||||
| Grants | 2,255 | 3,375 | 5,795 | 4,620 | 16,050 |
| Refusals | 25 | 50 | 60 | 80 | 215 |
| 2000 | |||||
| Grants | 6,610 | 6,990 | 6,335 | 5,845 | 25,785 |
| Refusals | 140 | 330 | 440 | 150 | 1,065 |
| 2001 | |||||
| Grants | 6,025 | 5,900 | 5,685 | 4,960 | 22,570 |
| Refusals | 570 | 360 | 375 | 370 | 1,670 |
Notes:
Figures rounded to the nearest 5.
Data exclude unmarried partners and fiance (e)s.
Data exclude the outcome of appeals and withdrawn applications.
There are no published data on decision times for individual types of settlement applications. Our aim is to decide all straightforward applications within three weeks. At present some straightforward applications decided in initial consideration are taking about 10 weeks because of the exceptionally high intake of new applications received in the latter part of 2002. At present some applications that cannot be dealt with on initial consideration can take around 12 months to decide. Measures are being taken to reduce turnaround times.
The information on staff dealing with marriage applications is not available in the form requested as individual staff members do not take decisions solely on marriage applications.