Entry Clearances

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate his Department has made of the cost to businesses of the removal from eligibility for the visa waiver scheme of those who have previously been arrested. (318227)

An estimate of cost to the business will be achieved only at disproportional cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of entry clearance applications for settlement in the United Kingdom submitted to the British consulate in Tel Aviv were granted prior to the transfer of the processing of such applications to the British embassy in Istanbul; what percentage of applicants were of (a) a Jewish and (b) a non-Jewish background; and if he will make a statement. (318460)

Prior to the transfer of processing entry clearance applications to the British embassy in Istanbul on 7 April 2008, 98 per cent. of entry clearance applications for settlement made at the British consulate in Tel Aviv were granted in the financial year of 2007-08.

A breakdown of this figure to show comparisons for applicants with Jewish and non-Jewish backgrounds is not captured in our database.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of applications for entry clearance to the United Kingdom submitted to the British consulate in Tel Aviv between June 2008 and May 2009 and processed by the British embassy in Istanbul was granted; how many such applications there were; what percentage of applicants were of (a) a Jewish and (b) a non-Jewish background; and if he will make a statement. (318461)

Between June 2008 and May 2009, 1,559 applications for entry clearance were submitted to the British consulate in Tel Aviv and processed by the British embassy in Istanbul. 84 per cent. of these applications were granted.

A breakdown of this figure to show comparisons for applicants with Jewish and non-Jewish backgrounds is not captured in our database.