Quila & Anor v Secretary of State for the Home Department

Christopher Jacobs (instructed by the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants) for the Claimant Angus McCullough (instructed by Treasury Solicitor) for the Defendant Hearing dates: 30th October 2009 and 9th November 2009 ____________________

There are clearly a number of assumptions underlying those sentiments. The first is that Amber Aguilar had not contemplated doing a different degree in Chile. The second is that neither she nor the claimant would use monies apparently available to them, which might be augmented by the claimant's earnings in Chile, to ensure they would spend the academic vacations together.

The FMU referred to in Miss Smith's statement is the join Home Office and Foreign Office Forced Marriage which was established in 2005. In 2008 the FMU received 1,618 telephone calls or e-mails seeking advice or assistance in relation to possible cases of forced marriage. The comparable figure for the first 10 months of 2009 is 1,327. In 2008 the FMU became involved in 420 cases and thus far in 2009 has become involved in 288 cases. In about a quarter of those cases in which the FMU become involved action was taken to secure what is described as "an overseas rescue and repatriation".

That view was apparently expressed by many of those to whom the researchers spoke.

This paragraph does no more that state that the impact could not be predicted with certainty. It does not affect the central reasoning that the statistical evidence showed a disproportionate number of forced marriages in those under 21. It was on that evidence, together with the fruits of the consultation process, the research and other advice, that the SSHD was called upon to make a judgment, which was essentially political.