§ Mr. DonaldsonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures his Department is taking to deal with illegal immigrants to Northern Ireland from the Republic of Ireland. [82710]
§ Beverley Hughes[holding answer 25 November 2002]A common travel area exists between the UK and the Republic of Ireland which, in general, allows free movement between the two countries. There is legislation which imposes conditions of stay on certain categories entering the UK from the Republic of Ireland, but no passport control at the border to. physically prevent the entry of any who might be inadmissible.
There are measures to deal with those who do enter orremain unlawfully. As with the rest of the UK, the UK Immigration Service (UKIS), takes enforcement action to remove persons who are in Northern Ireland unlawfully. The Belfast UKIS office regularly receives intelligence from various sources indicating the whereabouts of potential offenders, and after evaluation, such intelligence is often acted upon. In the past 12 months, UKIS staff have removed a total of 94 persons who were in the province unlawfully. (Some of these were illegal workers, others had overstayed their permission to remain). No detailed statistics exist revealing how many of these entered via the Irish Republic but it is known that a significant number did.
In addition UKIS staff routinely liase with the Irish authorities over these and other immigration problems. The Irish authorities do regularly refuse entry to foreign nationals arriving at their ports in transit to Northern Ireland (or the rest of the UK) who are not acceptable here. As an example in the past year they have refused entry to a number of Lithuanians at Dublin Airport who would otherwise have come to Northern Ireland to work illegally.
I am aware of a recent BBC documentary highlighting cases of illegal workers in Northern Ireland who have entered via Dublin Airport. UKIS officials are in discussion with the Irish authorities to identify ways of ensuring that fewer offenders gain entry to the UK via Dublin Airport.
UKIS staff also liase closely with the Police Service for Northern Ireland with a view to apprehending offenders, disrupting and prosecuting those who facilitate the entry of immigration offenders.
An investigation involving the IS National Criminal Intelligent Service (NCIS) and police officers from two constabularies led last December to the closure of the ABT college in Bristol. This week the individual behind the fraud was sentenced to three and a half year's 248W imprisonment. The investigation provides a good example of the government's determination to stamp out such activity.
Entry Clearance Officers overseas and immigration officers at UK ports ensure that those seeking entry as students meet the relevant criteria as set out in the Immigration Rules (HC 395). During 2001 some 150,600 applications were received at UK missions for student visas. Of these, some38,400 were refused. In addition, 1,945 individuals were refused entry at UK ports having unsuccessfully sought entry as students.
§ Rev. Martin SmythTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set up an inquiry into the trafficking of illegal immigrants into Northern Ireland for the purpose of slave labour. [82784]
§ Beverley Hughes[holding answer 25 November 2002]The Government have set out its strategy for tackling organised immigration crime: trafficking and smuggling in the White Paper "Secure Borders, Safe Haven", published in February. New criminal offences and penalties for trafficking and smuggling were introduced by the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act, carrying heavy terms of 14 years imprisonment.
We have established Reflex as a multi-agency response to organised immigration crime into the UK, including Northern Ireland. Reflex is led by the National Crime Squad and engages all the key agencies involved in combating organised immigration crime, including police, immigration services, security and intelligence agencies and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), in building up intelligence and planning operations against the traffickers. Reflex feeds into the Organised Crime Strategy Group, chaired by the Home Office, on which Northern Ireland Office officials sit, and in turn into the Northern Ireland Organised Crime Task Force, established by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, which co-ordinates multi-agency activity against organised crime in Northern Ireland.
The scale of illegal immigration into Northern Ireland does not appear to reflect national trends. While the number of applications for asylum have increased significantly in recent years, they are very small in comparison with the rest of the UK. However, a strategic project to examine organised immigration crime in Northern Ireland is currently being undertaken by Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) in co-operation with a number of other Government and law enforcement agencies through the offices of the Organised Crime Task Force. This aims to provide a baseline understanding of the scale and potential growth of the problem.
§ Rev. Martin SmythTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many illegal immigrants have been intercepted on entering Northern Ireland since 2000; and what action he proposes to take to deal with illegal immigration. [82838]
§ Beverley Hughes[holding answer 25 November 2002]A common travel area exists between the UK and the Republic of Ireland which, in general, allows free movement between the two countries. There is legislation which imposes conditions of stay on certain categories entering the UK from the Republic of Ireland, but no passport control at the border to 249W physically prevent the entry of any who might be inadmissible. Accordingly it is not surprising that no illegal immigrants have been intercepted on entering Northern Ireland from the Republic of Ireland since 2000.
There are however measures to deal with those who have entered or remained unlawfully. As with the rest of the UK, the UK Immigration Service (UKIS), takes enforcement action to remove persons who are in Northern Ireland unlawfully. The Belfast UKIS office regularly receives intelligence from various sources indicating the whereabouts of potential offenders, and after evaluation, such intelligence is often acted upon.
In the past 12 months, UKIS staff have removed a total of 94 persons who were in the province unlawfully. (Some of these were illegal workers, others had overstayed their permission to remain). No detailed statistics exist revealing how many of these entered via the Irish Republic but it is known that a significant number did.
In addition UKIS staff routinely liaise with the Irish authorities over these and other immigration problems. The Irish authorities do regularly refuse entry to foreign nationals arriving at their ports in transit to Northern Ireland (or the rest of the UK) who are not acceptable here. As an example in the past year they have refused entry to a number of Lithuanians at Dublin airport who would otherwise have come to Northern Ireland to work illegally.
I am aware of a recent BBC documentary highlighting cases of illegal workers in Northern Ireland who have entered via Dublin airport. UKIS officials are in discussion with the Irish authorities to identify ways of ensuring that fewer offenders gain entry to the UK via Dublin airport.
UKIS staff also liaise closely with the Police Service for Northern Ireland with a view to apprehending offenders, disrupting and prosecuting those who facilitate the entry of immigration offenders.