HC Deb 25 March 1986 vol 94 cc407-8W
Mr. Dubs

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many passengers refused leave to enter the United Kingdom in 1985 were granted temporary admission.

Mr. Waddington

About 8,500 passengers are estimated to have been granted temporary admission to the United Kingdom in 1985 following an initial refusal of leave to enter.

Mr. Dubs

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers and immigration officers and of what rank were involved in the operation at Liberty's department store on 30 January; how many people, and of what nationalities, were (a) interviewed and (b) detained in the operation, for how long and where; what was the immigration status of the 10 people who were arrested and not charged; for how long they were under arrest; and how many people were charged with theft as a result of the police investigations.

Mr. Waddington

The numbers and ranks of police and immigration officers who visited Liberty's on 30 January 1986 were:

Police

  1. 1 Sergeant
  2. 3 Constables
  3. 5 further constables deployed for security purposes outside the Store.

Immigration Service

  • 1 Chief Immigration Officer
  • 1 Immigration Officer
  • 3 further Immigration Officers subsequently used to pursue enquiries in relation to those arrested.

A total of 19 people (6 Ghanaians, 6 Nigerians, 5 Moroccans, 1 Gambian and 1 Ugandan) were interviewed. They were all arrested.

The immigration status of those not found to he in breach of the immigration laws was as follows 4 were found to be settled in the United Kingdom; 2 had limited leave to enter or remain; 3 had applications for extension of leave pending; and 1 had formerly enjoyed exemption from control as a result of diplomatic status and now required leave to remain.

The periods spent in custody at West End central police station were:

  • Less than 6 hours: 5
  • Over 6 but under 8 hours:
  • 3 Over 8 but under 11 hours: 2

Nobody was charged with theft as a result of the investigation at Liberty's on 30 January 1986, but one person had been so charged as a result of a separate but related inquiry the previous week.

Mr. Dubs

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the nature of the investigation on 14 March at British Telecom plc, 81 Newgate street, London EC1; how many police officers and immigration officers and of what rank, were involved; how many people and of what nationalities were (a) interviewed and (b) detained in the operation, for how long and where; and with regard to what alleged breaches of immigration control these people were interviewed or charged.

Mr. Waddington

This was a major joint operation specifically planned to investigate suspected offences under the immigration laws. The numbers and ranks of police and immigration officers who visited the British Telecom plc building were:

Police

  • 1 Superintendent
  • 1 Inspector
  • 1 Sergeant
  • 19 Constables

Immigration Service

  • 1 Deputy Chief Inspector
  • 1 Inspector
  • 2 Chief Immigration Officers
  • 10 Immigration Officers
  • 1 further Chief Immigration Officer and
  • 5 further Immigration Officers subsequently used to pursue enquiries in relation to those arrested.

A total of 24 people were interviewed. Nineteen people were arrested with the following results: Nine were judged to be illegal entrants (3 Ghanaians, 3 Portuguese, 2 Nigerians and 1 Colombian); one (a Ghanaian) was charged as an overstayer; seven were charged with working in breach of conditions (5 Nigerians, 1 Ghanaian and 1 Portuguese); and 2 (both Ghanaians) were formally cautioned for working in breach of conditions. Of the other five who were not arrested, one, a Nigerian, was an overstayer who was served with a notice of intention that he should be deported and with a restriction order; and 4 (2 Ghananians and 2 Nigerians) were found not to be in breach of the immigration laws.

Five of the illegal entrants detected at the British Telecom plc building were taken initially to Wood street police station but were subsequently transferred to Latchmere House remand centre, where they are still detained, pending removal from the United Kingdom. In the other cases the periods spent in custody, in Wood street police station, were:

  • 4 hours or less 4
  • Over 4 but under 6 hours 5
  • Over 6 but under 9 hours 2
  • Over 9 but under 14 hours 3

This operation was conducted in accordance with the recommendations of Home Office circular 131–1980, of which a copy was placed in the Library in December 1980.