§ Mr. MaclennanTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what reports he has received of airline passengers arriving at Heathrow being detained airside by officials of the carrying company and compelled to board departing aircraft without access to immigration officials; and if he will make a statement;
(2) what involvement immigration officials had in the refusal of entry to Tamils who arrived at Heathrow on 9 April as passengers of Egyptair and British Airways; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Peter Lloyd[holding answer 8 May 1990]: I understand that a group of seven Sri Lankans arrived at Heathrow on 5 April on an Egyptair flight, and a further group of three on 9 April by British Airways. None of the passengers was presented at the immigration control and none was refused entry. Later inquiries established that the airlines concerned had returned the groups to Cairo and Rome respectively. It is being made clear to representatives of the two airlines that any passenger who wishes to seek entry to the United Kingdom must be presented at the immigration control on arrival.