§ Lord Bethellasked Her Majesty's Government:
What recent arrangements have been made for United Kingdom immigration controls to take place prior to embarkation at airports abroad.
The Minister of State, Home Office (Earl Ferrers)The Immigration Service operated successful trials over a one-week period at the end of March and the494WA beginning of April in conjunction with TransWorld Airlines operating into Heathrow Terminal 3 from J. F. Kennedy Airport in New York and with Piedmont Airlines operating into Gatwick South from Charlotte. Both trials were successful and were well received by both the passengers and the companies involved. So far as any future activity is concerned, the Immigration Act 1988 allows for the provision of additional services against full cost recovery and any applications for pre-clearance will be considered in this context.
Recent press reports have linked pre-clearance with enhanced security arrangements both here and in the USA. While this may be an additional benefit, the arrangements are principally designed to ease congestion on arrival at UK airports.