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A response to a petition submitted to the UK Prime Minister's (PM) online petition site '10 Downing Street' asking for the PM's Office to help preserve Welsh links with Patagonia, has finally been released.
The petition, which collected a total of 1306 signatures, requested that the Prime Minister:
"... make it absolutely clear to all the staff of the UK Border Agency that the United Kingdom consists of four nations and that the staff of the Agency should not damage Welsh links with Patagonia by refusing entry to people from Patagonia wishing to visit the Land of their Fathers."
The response to the petition argued that the UK Government "recognises the historical links between Wales and Patagonia", but that the UK "Border Force Officers have a duty to apply relevant provisions of the Immigration Rules fairly and evenly to all intending visitors, irrespective of race or nationality".
The UK Government's response was expected following an email the League received from UK Minister of Immigration Phil Woolas MP earlier this month. Mr Woolas told the League that "just like all other cultural links with the UK" the links between Wales and Patagonia "do not over rule the (UK) immigration law."
The petition creator, Roy Davies, contacted the League in June 2009 asking for support in publicising his petition and at the League's 2009 annual general assembly in Kernow, the issue was discussed in depth. The full text of the UK government's response can be found below.
"Under the Immigration Rules a person seeking entry as a visitor must satisfy the Border Force Officer, among other considerations, that they are genuinely seeking entry for the limited period stated, that they can maintain and accommodate themselves without working or recourse to public funds, and that they intend to leave the United Kingdom at the end of the proposed visit.
Although nationals of some South American countries do not require a visa to enter the United Kingdom, entry to the United Kingdom is not simply a formality based on possession of a return ticket and funds alone. Each application for entry is considered on individual merit, with the onus on the person seeking entry to satisfy the Border Force Officer as to his or her intentions. The Border Force Officer will assess the individual's overall intentions and credibility before reaching a decision as to whether the individual has met the requirements of the Immigration Rules.
In order to maintain the integrity of the United Kingdom's immigration laws, Border Force Officers have a duty to apply relevant provisions of the Immigration Rules fairly and evenly to all intending visitors, irrespective of race or nationality. As well as being a fundamental requirement of the Immigration Rules, there is a firm commitment at all levels within the UK Border Agency to ensuring that officers carry out their duties without regard to race, colour, religion, or any other irrelevant factor. Any allegation that staff have failed to abide by these principles is taken very seriously and disciplinary action is always taken where officers are judged to have behaved inappropriately.
The Government recognises the historical links between Wales and Patagonia. The British Embassy in Buenos Aires, in particular, is actively engaged in fostering relations with Argentine Patagonia to which the greater number of Welsh Patagonians have emigrated. We have fostered commercial links between Wales and Argentina, for example by working proactively with International Business Wales. Our Embassy has sponsored studies in the United Kingdom by two Chevening scholars from the Chubut region of Patagonia, one of whom studied at the University of Wales. The British Council administers The Welsh Language Project for Patagonia and organises a choir, the choristers of which include Argentines and a conductor from Chubut. Upon appointment, one of the Ambassador's first official visits was to the province of Chubut to help foster relations between Britain and Welsh Patagonia.
Consequently, the Government fully appreciates that people from that region of South America may wish to visit the United Kingdom in order to improve their Welsh language skills and learn English. The United Kingdom's Immigration Rules make ample provision for all legitimate non-European Economic Area nationals, including people from Patagonia, to gain entry into the United Kingdom provided they meet the published criteria."
Link:
The Celtic League campaign for better access rights to the UK for those with Welsh links in Argentina will continue.
J B Moffatt Director of Information Celtic League
27/12/09
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