To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of entry clearance applications for settlement as a spouse in the UK 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 proportion of applicants were of (a) Israeli and (b) non-Israeli background; and if he will make a statement. (321849)

Between April 2007 and March 2008, 152 applications for spouse/civil partner settlement, or leading to settlement visas, were processed at the British consulate in Tel Aviv, with an issue rate of 98 per cent. The processing of such applications was transferred to the British embassy in Istanbul on 7 April 2008.

84 per cent. of the applicants were Israeli nationals, and 16 per cent. were non-Israeli nationals, as defined by the applicant's passport.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of entry clearance applications for settlement as a spouse in the UK submitted to the British consulate in Tel Aviv between June 2008 and May 2009 and processed by the British embassy in Istanbul were granted; what proportion of applicants were of (a) Israeli and (b) non-Israeli background; and if he will make a statement. (321850)

Between June 2008 and May 2009, 103 applications for spouse/civil partner settlement, or leading to settlement visas, were submitted to the British consulate in Tel Aviv and processed by the British embassy in Istanbul, with an issue rate of 94 per cent.

91 per cent. of the applicants were Israeli nationals, and 9 per cent. were non-Israeli nationals, as defined by the applicant's passport.