HL Deb 22 April 1969 vol 301 cc372-4
LORD ELTON

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, in view of the report in The Times newspaper on April 2 that "the police are launching a large operation on the South coast against Anglo-French gangs who are believed to have smuggled hundreds into the country", whether they can clarify their statements made in reply to a Question in this House on March 25 that instances of clandestine immigration are rare.]

THE MINISTER OF STATE, HOME OFFICE (LORD STONHAM)

My Lords, having studied the newspaper article in question, I see no reason to modify my earlier reply. To the best of our knowledge and belief, clandestine immigration is now rare; but the responsible services will continue to be on the alert. The article drew attention to some indications of their vigilance.

LORD ELTON

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord for that Answer, which obviously deserves study and leaves me at the moment with the impression that whereas the number of illegal—

THE LORD PRIVY SEAL (LORD SHACKLETON)

Question!

LORD ELTON

My Lords, does the noble Lord not think that his Answer is apt to leave noble Lords with the impression that whereas the number of illegal immigrants actually detected is small, the number of those still undetected may be considerable? Is the noble Lord aware that over the last 12 months a number of articles have appeared in the Press, all seeming to suggest that the amount of undetected illegal immigration is considerable? Did the noble Lord's Department study the series of long articles, with a most detailed factual background, compiled by a team of investigators containing four Englishmen, two Pakistanis and an Indian, which appeared in the Sunday Telegraph last May, and besides exposing—

SEVERAL NOBLE LORDS: Speech!

LORD ELTON

I am asking whether a most important article has been studied by the noble Lord's Department. I should like to conclude if I may—

SEVERAL NOBLE LORDS: No.

LORD ELTON

I should like to conclude by saying that the writer of the article—

LORD SHACKLETON

I am sorry to interrupt the noble Lord. The House will take just so much and then no more.

LORD ELTON

My Lords, may I ask whether the noble Lord's Department has studied that article, which is more important than I have been able to reveal?

LORD STONHAM

My Lords, I assure the noble Lord that not only my Department but I personally have studied all these articles, and I would advise him that The Times report to which his Question referred was pure speculation, derived from the fact that the police are continuing to do what they have been doing for a long time; that is, to be vigilant to prevent illegal immigration. They naturally continue their contacts with police forces on the Continent not only for this purpose, but in connection with a variety of cross-Channel criminal enterprises.

I must advise the noble Lord that I am astonished to read an article of this kind, but after all, the poor chap has to get his living. There are such phrases as, "Christchurch Harbour and Hayling Island are thought to be among the ports of entry. It is possible now to buy a boat for less than £6,000 capable of travelling between Cherbourg and the Hampshire coast". Of course we do not deny these things, but assumptions like that ought not to deceive anyone with any knowledge of the facts. We have never agreed that the scale of this kind of immigration was significantly large, and there is no evidence whatever that it now continues on any scale. We are convinced that the new powers in the 1968 Act, which are quite severe, are sufficient to act as a deterrent, and they have proved their worth.

LORD PEDDIE

My Lords, will my noble friend indicate whether Her Majesty's Government have the power to deport immigrants settled in this country who have been proved to have entered illegally? If they have power, how many have been so deported?

LORD STONHAM

My Lords, that question was asked as a supplementary by the noble and learned Viscount, Lord Dilhorne, when the noble Lord, Lord Conesford, recently asked a similar Question in the absence, through unfortunate illness, of the noble Lord, Lord Elton. I gave the answer then. The answer is that we have powers to deport and these people are deported when they are detected. There is no difficulty whatsoever there.

LORD PEDDIE

My Lords, may I remind my noble friend of the second half of my question?

LORD STONHAM

My Lords, I cannot answer on the numbers without notice, but I can give my noble friend details of the only three cases of which we know. The most recent case was at Poole on March 15, when some 19 people were concerned. That ease is sub judice and I therefore cannot comment on it. There was another on June 23, when 29 immigrants were apprehended and returned to India and Pakistan. The boatman was prosecuted and received a sentence of five years' imprisonment. On August 17, 1968, at Chichester, three immigrants were landed and escaped. They have not been returned to their native land. The boatman was given a suspended sentence of six months, fined £100 and ordered to enter into a recognisance of £500.

LORD HAWKE

My Lords, can the noble Lord say whether, at the time of seeking employment, there is any check on how an immigrant has arrived in this country?

LORD STONHAM

No, my Lords, I cannot give details of that. So far as I am aware, there is no check of the kind to which the noble Lord refers.