Straw plans curbs on 'advisers' who dupe immigrants

THE Government is to curb "advisers" who prey on ethnic minorities by offering expensive and unnecessary advice on immigration and asylum. Jack Straw, the Home Secretary, is planning to regulate the hundreds of consultants after complaints from MPs whose constituents have paid large sums for help in dealing with immigration officials.

Mr Straw made the pledge yesterday as he announced the ending of the controversial "primary purpose" immigration rule. The rule allowed immigration officers to refuse entry to citizens from outside the European Union who wanted to marry a British citizen if they thought that the main purpose of the marriage was to settle in Britain.

The move against "advisers" comes after it was disclosed that some were charging high fees simply to take application documents to offices in Croydon, south London. Others posed as experts but gave worthless advice or set up offices to take on hopeless cases.

Mr Straw said: "There is a problem with unqualified immigration advisers. They take large sums of money off people to pursue bogus and frankly completely unmeritorious claims. These advisers, so called, are making a killing out of this, persuading people to pursue bogus applications."

Mr Straw is to publish a consultation document later in the year and is studying ways to regulate the industry, which could involve a system of licensed practitioners who would have to meet minimum standards or a register of a number of immigration advice bureaux ? suggested in 1993 but never implemented.

Claude Moraes, of the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants, welcomed Mr Straw's pledge. "A huge number of vulnerable people end up being given wrong or unnecessary advice for huge amounts of money, sometimes running into hundreds and hundreds of pounds," he said.

The abolition of the primary purpose rule could allow about 1,000 people refused entry because of it last year, and who are currently appealing against the decision, to enter Britain.

People seeking to enter the country will still have to show that the marriage is genuine and they intend to live permanently as man and wife; both parties to the marriage must have met and they must show that they can maintain any dependents without seeking public funds. Officials will be able to make spot checks at their home for a year.

Mr Straw disappointed immigrant welfare groups by leaving the burden of proof on applicants for entry to show that they could meet the criteria. Times Newspapers Limited