HC Deb 19 October 1971 vol 823 cc611-2

Lords Amendment: No. 25, in page 13 line 43, at end insert: (2A) Except in so far as the context other wise requires, references in this Act to arriving in the United Kingdom by ship shall extend to arrival by any floating structure, and "disembark" shall be construed accordingly; but the provisions of this Act specially relating to members of the crew of a ship shall not by virtue of this provision apply in relation to any floating structure not being a ship.

Mr. Sharples

I beg to move, That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment.

The reason for this Amendment is that there are certain kinds of oil rig which, even if they have their legs up, are not ships within the meaning of the Bill, although they are capable of being towed by a ship.

The provisions of the Bill for the examination of persons arriving in the United Kingdom apply at present only to those arriving by ship or aircraft, and the Amendment has the effect of extending them to anyone who might be carried on an oil rig or any other sort of structure towed into a United Kingdom port.

Mr. Peter Archer

I am sorry to delay the House, but I should really like to know whether, so far as the Government are aware, anyone has ever arrived on an oil rig.

Mr. David Steel

Not even in the fantasies of the right hon. Member for Wolverhampton, South-West (Mr. Powell) have hordes of immigrants been arriving on oil rigs at this country's shores.

Mr. Sharples

I do not for a moment pretend that hordes of immigrants are arriving on oil rigs, but it is possible for someone to arrive in this way. An oil rig may be stationary at sea. People come from abroad to work on such oil rigs, landing by helicopter, and it might well be that they would be towed by a tug into the United Kingdom. Without this provision, such persons would not be subject to immigration control.

Question put and agreed to.

Subsequent Lords Amendments agreed to.

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