HC Deb 02 July 1980 vol 987 cc569-70W
Mr. Dubs

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions recently there have been raids by the immigration service and the police on the Hilton hotel in Park Lane; how many persons were (a) questioned, (b) detained and (c) considered to be illegally in the United Kingdom; and how many police and immigration officers were involved.

Mr. Brittan

Only one such operation has been conducted recently. On 22 May immigration service officers and police officers went to the Hilton hotel to question a number of employees who were suspected of committing immigration offences. In the region of 100 people were questioned, of whom 35 were arrested. Eight of these were found to be illegal entrants, 13 were found to be overstayers, six were working in breach of their conditions, three were subject to deportation orders and one was a seaman deserter. Sixteen immigration service officers were involved, together with police officers who were deployed at the Hilton hotel, and at police stations and other premises in subsequent inquiries later the same day.