§ Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jonesasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will make a statement on the implementation of the Immigration (Carriers' Liability) Act 1987;
(2) which ferry operators have been penalised under the provisions of the Immigration (Carriers' Liability) Act;
(3) whether his Department has made an estimate of the cost to ferry operators installing the passenger checking procedures necessary to enable them to comply with the provisions of the Immigration (Carriers' Liability) Act; and if he will make a statement;
(4) on how many occasions penalties have been imposed under the Immigration (Carriers' Liability) Act since it came into force.
§ Mr. RentonThe Immigration (Carriers' Liability) Act 1987 received royal assent on 15 May 1987, and made carriers liable to charges from 5 March. Up to 26 June notice of liability had been issued in about 1,500 cases; this number will he reduced if carriers are able to show that the charge should not be made in particular cases. Notices of liability have been issued to a substantial number of airlines and ferry operators. Comprehensive details are not readily available. No estimate has been made of the cost to operators of complying with the new legislation. The majority of ferry passengers arc, however, British citizens, others with the right of abode in the United Kingdom, or EC nationals, all of whom require only the briefest of checks to confirm their status.