To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the Government’s policy is on whether the UK should join the (a) Schengen area and (b) Schengen visa system in the future. (177355)

[holding answer 10 January 2008]: The UK is not a member of the Schengen area as we believe that maintaining our frontier controls, including a national visa system, is the most effective way to combat illegal migration and transnational crime. We work closely with our EU partners to ensure there is effective management of the migration into the EU.