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| 300,000 UK visas 'wrongly issued' | 300,000 UK visas 'wrongly issued' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| An estimated 300,000 visas giving foreigners the right to come to Britain may be wrongly approved every year, a committee of MPs has been told. | |
| Linda Costelloe-Baker, the independent visa monitor, told the Home Affairs Committee it was "reasonable" to assume 15% of short-term approvals were wrong. | Linda Costelloe-Baker, the independent visa monitor, told the Home Affairs Committee it was "reasonable" to assume 15% of short-term approvals were wrong. |
| She also said officials were "under pressure" to issue - rather than reject - visas to meet productivity targets. | She also said officials were "under pressure" to issue - rather than reject - visas to meet productivity targets. |
| The Tories said it made a "mockery" of Labour's claims to control immigration. | The Tories said it made a "mockery" of Labour's claims to control immigration. |
| Embassies and consulates examine 2.4 million applications each year from tourists, business people and those visiting relatives - they check applicants intend to leave after their visa expires and have enough money to live in the country and are not looking for a job, Ms Costelloe-Baker told the committee. | Embassies and consulates examine 2.4 million applications each year from tourists, business people and those visiting relatives - they check applicants intend to leave after their visa expires and have enough money to live in the country and are not looking for a job, Ms Costelloe-Baker told the committee. |
| 'Pressure' | 'Pressure' |
| Rejected applications were checked for accuracy but there was not a similar system in place to check applications that were approved, said Ms Costelloe-Baker. | Rejected applications were checked for accuracy but there was not a similar system in place to check applications that were approved, said Ms Costelloe-Baker. |
| "About 80% of visas are issued and yet there has been no external scrutiny over that 80%." | "About 80% of visas are issued and yet there has been no external scrutiny over that 80%." |
| Officials considering visa applications found it much easier to approve visas than reject them, she said because issuing was a "much faster" process than refusal. This error rate not only increases the scope for increased illegal immigration, but is obviously a security threat Dominic Grieve Shadow home secretary | |
| "I don't think there has been adequate scrutiny of decisions to issue," she said, adding: "I think there is pressure to issue visas because it helps people hit their productivity targets." | "I don't think there has been adequate scrutiny of decisions to issue," she said, adding: "I think there is pressure to issue visas because it helps people hit their productivity targets." |
| Conservative MP David Davies asked if it was reasonable to assume that, if 15% of rejections were found to be incorrect, a similar proportion of approvals were "incorrectly approved". | Conservative MP David Davies asked if it was reasonable to assume that, if 15% of rejections were found to be incorrect, a similar proportion of approvals were "incorrectly approved". |
| "I think that's a reasonable supposition," Ms Costelloe-Baker said, adding that that total would include cases where an applicant rightly got a visa but where there were errors in the way the visa was approved. | |
| Mr Davies continued: "I'm trying to make an assumption here which is reasonable based on the evidence and that is that a large number of visa applications have been incorrectly approved in the country where they were requested." | |
| Ms Costelloe-Baker said: "I think that's a reasonable assumption." | |
| Illegal immigration | Illegal immigration |
| But she said entry clearance officers were also conscious of the scrutiny their decisions were liable to come under when people applied for leave to remain when their visas expired. | But she said entry clearance officers were also conscious of the scrutiny their decisions were liable to come under when people applied for leave to remain when their visas expired. |
| She said there was evidence the new points-based system, which comes into effect on 27 November, would be more effective, although it was too early to tell. | She said there was evidence the new points-based system, which comes into effect on 27 November, would be more effective, although it was too early to tell. |
| Based upon a visit to the British embassy in Tehran, she said: "The quality of decision making and refusal notices there was poor but the quality of work on the points-based system was excellent and that is because it's a much clearer, simpler system." | Based upon a visit to the British embassy in Tehran, she said: "The quality of decision making and refusal notices there was poor but the quality of work on the points-based system was excellent and that is because it's a much clearer, simpler system." |
| But shadow home secretary Dominic Grieve said her comments highlighted a major flaw in Labour's immigration system. | But shadow home secretary Dominic Grieve said her comments highlighted a major flaw in Labour's immigration system. |
| Every application is scrutinised, fingerprints are taken, and the individuals checked against a range of watch-lists. Visas provide the first line of defence against those who seek to abuse the system. Travellers are subject to further tough checks at the border. Mark SedwillUK Border Agency | |
| "This makes a mockery of Labour's claims to have a grip on our immigration system. It is obvious that its operation is neither firm, nor fair. | "This makes a mockery of Labour's claims to have a grip on our immigration system. It is obvious that its operation is neither firm, nor fair. |
| "This error rate not only increases the scope for increased illegal immigration, but is obviously a security threat. | "This error rate not only increases the scope for increased illegal immigration, but is obviously a security threat. |
| "The public will be dismayed that Labour targets are making our border controls more vulnerable." | "The public will be dismayed that Labour targets are making our border controls more vulnerable." |
| Ms Costelloe-Baker's role as the independent monitor of visa entry is being phased out and she will be replaced by a new chief inspector of the UK Borders Agency, John Vine, former chief constable of Tayside Police. | Ms Costelloe-Baker's role as the independent monitor of visa entry is being phased out and she will be replaced by a new chief inspector of the UK Borders Agency, John Vine, former chief constable of Tayside Police. |
| Mark Sedwill, the international director of the UK Border Agency, said: "Our decisions are fair and objective, and last year the Independent Monitor determined they were right and reasonable in 99% of cases. | |
| "It is untrue to claim our staff give out visas when people do not meet the criteria set out in the immigration rules. | |
| "In fact every application is scrutinised, fingerprints are taken, and the individuals checked against a range of watch-lists. Visas provide the first line of defence against those who seek to abuse the system. Travellers are subject to further tough checks at the border. | |
| "Already we've fingerprinted more than three million people and identified 4,600 cases of identity fraud. So far this year we've refused visas to nearly 20% of applicants." |