Page:Hansard (UK) - Vol 566 No. 40 August 29th 2013.pdf/74

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Mr Harper: The requested figures on the number of people who have overstayed their visa in each of the last three years are not held centrally and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Mr Harper [holding answer 16 July 2013]: We continue to look for ways to enhance the visa service to further encourage Chinese tourism and investment to the UK. Since December 2012 we have:

Mr Harper [holding answer 17 July 2013]: The family Immigration Rules allow a British Citizen returning to the UK to rely on a confirmed job offer or signed contract of employment here in sponsoring their spouse’s visa application, where the sponsor can evidence that they have been earning overseas the level of income concerned. We have no current plans to change this requirement.

Mr Harper [holding answer 17 July 2013]: A British Citizen studying overseas who does not have the income or savings required to sponsor their spouse to come to the UK under the family Immigration Rules may return to work in the UK. Once they have been earning the required level of income for six months with the same employer, they may be able to sponsor their spouse to join them here.

Mr Harper The requested figures on the number of people who remain in the UK on expired student visas is not held centrally and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office spent the sums set out in the following table in discharging its statutory responsibilities as an employer and provider of goods and services under equality legislation. The number of people employed specifically on equality and diversity is 15.

James Brokenshire [holding answer 6 June 2013]: Home Office Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of international partners, as well as organisations and individuals in the public and private sectors, as part of the process of policy development and delivery. Details of these meetings, and of overseas travel, are passed to the Cabinet Office on a quarterly basis and are subsequently published on the Government.uk website: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/ attachment_data/file/212353/Home_Office_Ministers_Jan_March_13.pdf

James Brokenshire: The Government has sought input from law enforcement, the devolved Administrations and other partners of the value to the UK of our membership of Europol and Eurojust as part of its consideration of which EU police and criminal justice