§ Mr. Denis Howellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many visitors arriving at Heathrow airport during each of the last three years and in the first two months of 1981 were sent to Northwick Park hospital, Middlesex, for medical examinations; how many of these visitors were refused entry into the United Kingdom for medical reasons; what was the average length of stay of such visitors in the hospital; and what was the cost of their medical examinations and accommodation.
§ Mr. Patrick JenkinIn 1980, 54 visitors arriving at Heathrow airport were referred to Northwick Park hospital and seven of them were refused leave of entry. In the first two months of 1981, out of 10 visitors so referred one person has been refused right of entry. The remainder of the information requested is not readily available and could not be obtained without a disproportionate expenditure of time and effort.
§ Mr. Denis Howellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) why visitors to the United Kingdom who are referred by the immigration service to Northwick Park hospital, Middlesex, for medical examination are not able to be examined late on Fridays or over weekends, even though they may subsequently be found to represent no health risk;
(2) why he considers that the National Health Service is not justified in providing a technician at Northwick Park hospital, Middlesex, late on Fridays and over weekends to carry out medical tests on visitors to the United Kingdom who are referred to the hospital by the immigration service;
(3) what was the cost to the National Health Service of keeping Mr. Chandegra in the Northwick Park hospital, Middlesex, for five days while awaiting medical examination in October 1980.
§ Mr. Patrick JenkinI am asking the Brent and Harrow area health authority, which is responsible for the management of Northwick Park hospital, to review procedures for medical examination of visitors referred by the immigration service. Details of costs of this specific case are not available centrally and the right hon. Gentleman may wish to seek this information direct from the area health authority.
§ Mr. Denis Howellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services by what statutory or other authority visitors to the United Kingdom who are referred to the
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No. of redundancies Total (*) Cost (£000) Minimum (†) Payment (£) Maximum (†) Payment (£) Approx. (†) Average (£) British Shipbuilders 1979 5,886 13,150 300 9,550 * 1980 8,248 21,326 300 10,350 3,300 Northwick Park hospital, Middlesex, for medical tests are detained there because staff are not available to carry out such tests.
§ Mr. Patrick JenkinThe statutory powers relating to the medical examination of immigrants are contained in section 4(2) and schedule 2 to the Immigration Act 1971.
An immigrant may be referred for further medical examination under the provisions of paragraph 2(3) of the schedule without the need to invoke the provisions relating to detention contained in paragraphs 16 to 20 of that schedule.