To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 10 February 2009, Official Report, column 1831W, on immigration: marriage, whether she has assessed the effect of the change made in 2003 in the probationary period on those seeking settlement on the basis of marriage. (260523)

It is difficult to isolate the effect of the change in the length of the probationary period from the effects of other factors, including the no-switching provision which was made at the same time. An initial examination of the data shows a significant increase in the percentage of applications refused after the rule change in 2003. The increase in the length of the probationary period is likely to have been one significant factor in the increase.