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English Language Proficiency Visa Rules For Sikh Priests

EDM number 464 in 2004-05, proposed by Rob Marris on 11/01/2005.

That this House notes with concern the implications for Sikh gurdwaras of the Home Office's new immigration rules, effective from 31st August 2004, requiring Sikh priests applying to enter the UK on temporary visas to work as priests to demonstrate proficiency in the English language to Level 4 and, in due course, to Level 6; further notes the irony that before those rule changes a Sikh priest was on occasion initially refused such a visa because of his fluency in English; believes that it is not clear what business it is of the Government to be concerned with what language is spoken in a gurdwara; and therefore calls upon the Home Office to review immediately the new immigration rules with a view to removing unwarranted English language requirements.

This motion has been signed by a total of 28 MPs.

MPDateConstituencyPartyType
Rob Marris11/01/2005Wolverhampton South WestLabourProposed
Kelvin Hopkins12/01/2005Luton NorthLabourSigned
Tony Lloyd12/01/2005Manchester CentralLabourSigned
John McDonnell12/01/2005Hayes & HarlingtonLabourSigned
Martin Caton12/01/2005GowerLabourSigned
Dennis Turner12/01/2005Wolverhampton South EastLabour Co-operativeSigned
Rudi Vis12/01/2005Finchley & Golders GreenLabourSigned
Adam Price13/01/2005Carmarthen East & DinefwrPlaid CymruSigned
Tony Colman13/01/2005PutneyLabourSigned
Andrew Dismore13/01/2005HendonLabourSigned
Matthew Green13/01/2005LudlowLiberal DemocratSigned
Keith Vaz13/01/2005Leicester EastLabourSigned
Mike Hancock17/01/2005Portsmouth SouthLiberal DemocratSigned
Jenny Tonge17/01/2005Richmond ParkLiberal DemocratSigned
Stephen Pound18/01/2005Ealing NorthLabourSigned
Harold Best18/01/2005Leeds North WestLabourSigned
Liam Byrne18/01/2005Birmingham, Hodge HillLabourSigned
Andy King18/01/2005Rugby & KenilworthLabourSigned
Nigel Jones19/01/2005CheltenhamLiberal DemocratSigned
Andy Reed20/01/2005LoughboroughLabour Co-operativeSigned
Michael Clapham20/01/2005Barnsley West & PenistoneLabourSigned
Parmjit Gill20/01/2005Leicester SouthLiberal DemocratSigned
Mohammad Sarwar24/01/2005Glasgow, GovanLabourSigned
Alan Simpson24/01/2005Nottingham SouthLabourSigned
David Crausby27/01/2005Bolton North EastLabourSigned
Nick Harvey31/01/2005North DevonLiberal DemocratSigned
John Austin03/02/2005Erith & ThamesmeadLabourSigned
Patrick Hall10/02/2005BedfordLabourSigned

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