HC Deb 16 March 1978 vol 946 c294W
Mr. Arthur Lewis

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will publish in the Official Report the details contained in his letter dated 7th March sent to the hon. Member for Newham, North-West giving particulars of passengers coming to Great Britain since 1970 under immigration control; how, in the light of the experience of Mr. Duke, he controls illegal entry and stops persons from entering Great Britain; whom he wishes to prevent from landing; and how he is able to trace their whereabouts.

Dr. Summerskill

The following are numbers of passengers given leave to enter the United Kingdom at sea and hoverports and at airports since 1970:

Year Number of passengers subject to immigration control admitted at United Kingdom sea and hover ports Number of passengers subject to immigration control admitted at United Kingdom airports
1970 2,102,476 3,925,433
1971 2,205,869 4,514,153
1972 2,281,226 4,867,771
1973 2,478,248 5,426,544
1974 2,731,892 5,252,312
1975 3,279,435 5,753,242

In addition to their general instructions, immigration officers have details of certain individuals and categories of passengers who should be refused leave to enter the United Kingdom. When it is decided that a person should be removed or his stay ended—in such a case the person concerned is not necessarily an illegal entrant—the Immigration Service and the police, as appropriate, are given all the available information to trace his whereabouts.