To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the total cost to the public purse of processing visa application checks at embassies and consulates was in the last financial year; and what estimate he has made of the equivalent annual cost arising in those countries where processing such checks has been outsourced. (178729)

UKvisas is funded by income generated from the charging of visa fees agreed by Parliament through the Consular Fees Order. The cost of processing visa application checks at our embassies and consulates in the financial year 2006-07 was wholly met by visa fee income. The estimate of the full cost of the commercial partnership contract for outsourced visa application services in the financial year 2007-08 is £53.366 million. This cost is incorporated into visa fees which are applied globally.