§ 41. Sir David Priceasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why the immigration authorities have decided to make shipowners responsible for all costs incurred in the repatriation of passengers refused entry into the United Kingdom brought on ferry services to their original country of nationality and not simply to the port of embarkation.
§ Mr. WaddingtonWhen a person is refused leave to enter the United Kingdom, the normal course is to give the owners of the ship or aircraft in which he arrived directions to return him to the country of embarkation. However, under paragraph 8 of schedule 2 to the Immigration Act 1971 directions may as an alternative specify removal to the country of which the person is a national or to any country to which there is reason to believe he will be admitted. It is our policy to avoid passengers being shuttled back and forth between the United Kingdom and other countries. If it becomes clear that a person will be refused entry to the country from which he has embarked, there may be no option but to direct removal to his own country. There is no discretion under the Act to meet the cost of removal in such cases from public funds.