§ Lord Gladwin of Cleeasked Her Majesty's Government:
What arrangements they have made to ensure that immigration officers exercising the new powers of search, entry and seizure in Part VII of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 will have regard to the codes of practice issued under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984. [HL979]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Bassam of Brighton)The new powers of entry, search and seizure will come into force on 14 February 2000. In accordance with Section 145 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, a Direction has been made which will ensure that immigration officers exercising these powers, and their existing powers of arrest under Schedule 2 of the Immigration Act 1971, must have regard to the relevant provisions of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 codes of practice. A copy of the Direction is being placed in the Library. It is also being sent to members of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) User Panel and will be made available more widely via the IND website.
The use of the new powers will be restricted initially to a team of immigration officers involved in a joint pilot scheme with the Metropolitan Police. This pilot scheme will enable the powers to be tested in the operational arena before more widespread use of the powers is considered.