§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he is aware that in the current year to date at Dover harbour there has been a 22 per cent. increase in persons entering the United Kingdom to a total of 2 million persons, and that there were 10,509 ferry crossings, excluding hovercraft, compared with 8,589 in the corresponding period last year; what are the figures for other ports of entry; and 124W what action was taken at all of these ports of entry to ensure that these persons returned to their countries of origin;
(2) in view of the fact that the increase of continental visitors to Dover Harbour rose by 22 per cent. to more than 2 million to date in 1977 has meant more work for the Immigration and Customs officers, what increases have been made in the staff and what action taken to ensure that all these persons had right of entry, were not a charge on public funds, and that all returned according to the law and did not remain as illegal immigrants.
§ Dr. SummerskillMy right hon. Friend is responsible only for the entry of persons subject to immigration control, and for these, provisional figures show that in the first quarter of 1977, 232.000 people were given leave to enter the United Kingdom at the ports of Dover East and Dover West—an increase of 46 per cent. over the first quarter of 1976. The corresponding provisional figures for all other ports are: 1,762,000 and 25 per cent., respectively. Most of the increase at Dover was of EEC nationals.
All passengers are required to satisfy the immigration officer whether they are patrial and, if they are not, whether they fulfil the requirements of the Immigration Rules; but the selective checks that are made to establish whether passengers have left by the end of the period of limited leave to enter do not fall on the staff at the ports.
There has been no increase this year in the immigration staff at Dover.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will take action to diminish the difference in treatment between the many British people or British passport holders who are prevented from or delayed in entering Great Britain and the numbers of foreigners principally from Arab countries who are allowed to enter and purchase properties and businesses in Great Britain.
§ Dr. SummerskillNo such action is necessary. People who are eligible for or hold United Kingdom passports but who are subject to immigration control are treated no differently from others so subject, except that United Kingdom passport holders, mainly in East and Central 125W Africa, who are heads of household are enabled to settle here with their close dependants on obtaining a special voucher from the annual quota.