§ Dr. HarrisTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimates he has made of the cost of(a) staff, (b) premises and (c) detection equipment for the Immigration Service for immigration control in each of the last three years. [117047]
599W
§ Mrs. RocheThe information on staff and premises costs for the operation of the on-entry immigration control is given in the table.
£ million Financial Year Staff Premises 1997–98 76.11 7.58 1998–99 77.28 8.43 1999–2000 180.25 18.71 1 Forecast Over the last three years, the Immigration Service has spent over £300,000 on forgery detection equipment, over £110,000 on body detection dogs and associated equipment and, in the last year, £6,000 on CO2 detectors.
§ Dr. HarrisTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimates he has made of the cost of immigration detention centres and prison places for immigration detainees in each of the last three years. [117050]
§ Mrs. RocheThe cost of operating the dedicated immigration detention centres is estimated to be in the region of £11.4 million in the current financial year. Previous years' figures are not available as the costs had not been recorded separately. The Prison Service Statistics (England and Wales) show the number of detainees held in prisons under the 1971 Immigration Act as at 30 June of each year. Figures for the last three years are: 30 June 1997—476; 30 June 1998—477; and 30 June 1999—490. The average total cost per prison place in each of these years was: 1997–98: £23,940; 1998–99: £25,096; 1999–2000: £25,567.