§ 18. Mr. Norman Atkinsonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about 704W the refusal by immigration officers to allow black Commonwealth citizens and Cypriots to visit Great Britain for holidays; and if he will make arrangements to inform all passengers travelling to Great Britain of the difficulties they will encounter on reaching a United Kingdom port of entry.
§ Mr. RaisonA glance at the published "Control of Immigration Statistics" for 1978 would show that many thousands of citizens of the New Commonwealth are admitted annually as visitors. The vast majority do so without any difficulty and the total numbers refused are small.
The published immigration rules already advise would-be visitors about the availability of entry clearances; the grounds for refusal of entry; and rights of appeal.
§ 34. Mr. Stan Thorneasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will improve the administration in his Department to provide for speedier conclusions to cases submitted by hon. Members relating to entry certificates from the Indian Sub-continent for fiancés and dependants of British subjects.
§ Mr. RaisonThe time taken to deal with entry clearance applications may vary for a number of reasons. If the hon. Member has a particular case in mind in which the delay seems to have been unreasonable perhaps he would let me know.
§ Mr. Marlowasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to be in a position through the use of statistics to estimate the level of illegal immigration through overstaying.
§ Mr. RaisonAn earlier attempt to make a comprehensive estimate of the extent of evasion through overstaying proved unsuccessful for the reasons which my right hon. Friend gave to the House on 4 December. We are continuing to study ways of tackling overstaying.
§ Miss Richardsonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many 705W people have been detained under Immigration Act powers at the Harmondsworth and Gatwick detention centres administered by Securicor Limited in the year ended 31 December 1979; and how many such persons were children under 18 years.
§ Mr. RaisonIn the year 1979, 6,391 persons were detained at the immigration service detention centre at Harmondsworth, of whom 304 were believed to be under 17. The number under 18 is not available. In the same period 2,204 persons were detained at the centre at Gatwick; 82 were believed to be under 18.
§ Miss Richardsonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the numbers and nationalities of persons detained under the Immigration Act 1971 at the Harmondsworth detention centreduring the second six months of 1979 pending further examination by immigration officers or pending removal after being refused entry.
§ Mr. RaisonInformation on the numbers and nationalities of those detained at Harmondsworth is set out in the following table. The great majority of these people will have been detained pending further examination or pending removal after being refused entry, but a precise breakdown of the grounds for detention could be made only at disproportionate cost.
706W
PERSONS DETAINED UNDER THE IMMIGRATION ACT 1971 AT HARMONDSWORTH Nationals of Period 1 July 1979 to 31 December 1979 Afghanistan 5 Algeria 35 Argentina 6 Australia 6 Bahrain 1 Bangladesh 158 Barbados 1 Benin 1 Bermuda 6 Brazil 3 Cameroons 1 Canada 7 Chile 5 Colombia 28 Cyprus 14 Czechoslovakia 3 Dominica 1 Egypt 89 Ethiopia 14 Finland 3 France 3
Nationals of Period 1 July 1979 to 31 December 1979 The Gambia 1 Ghana 168 Greece 25 Guyana 4 Haiti 5 Holland 1 Hong Kong 78 Hungary 4 India 628 Indonesia 1 Iran 905 Iraq 22 Israel 33 Italy 9 Ivory Coast 1 Jamaica 7 Japan 9 Jordan 25 Kenya 16 Kuwait 13 Lebanon 22 Libya 13 Malawi 3 Malaysia 17 Malta 5 Mauritius 2 Mexico 2 Morocco 17 Nepal 1 New Zealand 3 Nigeria 212 Norway 2 Oman 1 Pakistan 541 Philippines 24 Poland 18 Portugal 26 Rhodesia 8 Saudi Arabia 20 Seychelles 2 Sierra Leone 1 Singapore 8 Somalia 2 South Africa 14 Spain 54 Sri Lanka 19 Sudan 39 Sweden 4 Switzerland 1 Syria 11 Tanzania 25 Thailand 4 Trinidad and Tobago 2 Tunisia 4 Turkey 128 Uganda 2 United Arab Emirates 1 United Kingdom Passport holders 7 USA 50 USSR 1 Venezuela 9 West Germany 2 Yemen 8 Yugoslavia 23 Zaire 2 Zambia 5 Nationality doubtful 9 Total 3,719