HC Deb 22 October 2002 vol 391 cc241-2W
Mr. Malins

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has officials placed at Brussels station to ensure that passengers who wish to enter the UK have the correct documentation; and if he will make a statement. [75403]

Beverley Hughes

It is not possible to say how many asylum applicants from the Czech Republic are of Romany origin. Data on the ethnic origin of asylum seekers are not collated centrally and are therefore not available; the number of those who applied would only be available by examination of individual case-files at disproportionate cost.

The tables show the number of applications, initial decisions and removals of nationals of the Czech Republic for the last three years.

Beverley Hughes

Discussions are under way to extend juxtaposed controls to the Brussels Eurostar service. In advance of this UK immigration officials arrived at the Gare du Midi in Brussels on 13 October to take part in a series of exercises. Whilst at the station they operate in an advisory capacity to assist and support Belgian officials in checking the documentation of Eurostar passengers travelling to the UK.

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