§ Mr. Maddenasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many interpreters are available to assist immigration officers at Heathrow air terminal; how many interpreters were on duty on 12, 13 and 14 April; how many passengers arriving at Heathrow on those days were detained awaiting to be interviewed; what was the shortest and longest period of detention; how many passengers detained were accommodated in hotels and at what cost; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Waddington[pursuant to his reply, 21 April 1986, c. 15]: Eight full-time interpreters and a pool of about 200 hourly paid interpreters are available to assist with the examination of passengers at the four Heathrow terminals. The eight full-time interpreters are stationed at terminal 3 but attend the other terminals as required.
541WOn 12, 13 and 14 April there were five, five and seven full-time interpreters available, respectively. Hourly paid interpreters were used as follows:
April 12 April 13 April 14 Terminal 1 — — — Terminal 2 2 3 3 Terminal 3 3 3 — Terminal 4 2 1 2 On the days in question the number of passengers detained at the port pending further examination was:
542W
April 12 April 13 April 4 Total Terminal 1 14 17 18 49 Terminal 2 27 62 30 119 Terminal 3 63 57 25 145 Terminal 4 22 8 19 49 Total 126 144 92 362 Without an examination of the files of all the passengers who were detained during the period 12 to 14 April at the four terminals it would not be possible to give the shortest and longest periods of detention.
The time spent in detention at the port awaiting further interview can vary between a few minutes, for example while a telephone call is made and several hours if an interpreter in a little used language has to be contacted and then has to travel to the airport.
No passengers have been detained in hotels on the days in question or, indeed, at any other time. The number of passengers accommodated in hotels, having been given temporary admission, was:
Number 12 April 30 13 April 38 14 April 26 The cost of this accommodation was £46.65p per person per night. This sum maybe recoverable from the airline when the outcome of the passenger's case is determined.