To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 11 December 2007, Official Report, column 435W, on entry clearances: internet, what assessment has been made by UK visas of local needs in Sierra Leone with respect to the take-up of the Visa4UK service. (187024)

The Visa4UK online application service was introduced in Sierra Leone from 1 October 2007, following an assessment of local needs by our high commission in Freetown. This assessment took into account the infrastructure and levels of literacy in Sierra Leone and the benefits to applicants.