HL Deb 13 February 1989 vol 504 cc1-2

Lord Bethell asked Her Majesty's Government:

How far their programme for immigration pre-inspection on flights between this country and the United States has proceeded, and whether they believe that a more ambitious programme of full immigration and customs pre-clearance on such flights would lessen the danger of terrorist attacks.

The Minister of State, Home Office (Earl Ferrers)

My Lords, pre-clearance abroad by the immigration service is the subject of continuing discussion with carriers and government agencies at home and abroad. There are no plans for similar arrangements by Customs and Excise. Future immigration preclearance will continue to be on a voluntary basis. It is intended to ease congestion on arrival at United Kingdom airports rather than to act as a counter to terrorism, and any such benefit is incidental.

Lord Bethell

My Lords, I am grateful for that Answer. However, is my noble friend aware that passengers crossing the Atlantic can sometimes be kept waiting either at Kennedy Airport or Heathrow Airport for one or two hours at the height of the season, and that it makes greater sense therefore to clear such people before a long flight rather than after it? Further, would he not agree that if there can be any benefit in terms of saving lives, or lessening the terrorist menace, then that would be a very great step forward and not just an incidental benefit?

Earl Ferrers

My Lords, I quite see the point made by my noble friend. Obviously, it is most cost-effective to introduce pre-clearance on the high density routes. One of the highest density routes is the one from New York to London. We carried out an experiment, and it was intended to operate a similar experiment in the late summer of 1988. However, that did not prove possible. We are now trying to arrange an experiment during the Easter traffic at the end of March this year. I agree with my noble friend that if it were possible to detect any form of terrorism by that method, then that would obviously be an advantage. However, I do not think that one can introduce the system solely for those advantages, because that would not be justified.

Lord Mishcon

My Lords, thinking in terms of security against terrorism, perhaps I may ask this question. Does the Minister agree that it would be far more effective if we were to ensure that there is not the slightest danger of people being able to be in contact with freight, whether luggage or otherwise, unless there was very careful inspection and the personnel concerned were also vetted and had proper cards? Is not that factor a great worry?

Earl Ferrers

My Lords, the conditions at airports (where one of course strives to prevent any form of terrorist equipment getting on to aeroplanes) are of essential importance. However, the point raised by my noble friend is whether, in order to Facilitate their entry, it is possible to pre-screen people who are coming into this country. I am bound to tell the noble Lord, Lord Mishcon, that the two aspects are different. Where, and if, there is a demand for such pre-screening, we are concerned to try to ascertain whether it can be done.

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