§ Mr. MaddenTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many passengers arriving at Gatwick in charter or scheduled flights from the Caribbean on 21 December 1993 were strip searched; what sex the passengers were who were strip searched; what illegal substances were discovered; how many passengers objected to or refused to be strip searched; and under what powers passengers are strip searched.
(2) what illegal substances were found by Customs and Excise officers on passengers from Jamaica who arrived on charter or scheduled flights from the Caribbean arriving at Gatwick on 21 December 1993; if he will give details of the circumstances; and how many passengers were charged with any related offences;
(3) how many Customs and Excise officers were on duty during the day at Gatwick South Terminal on 7 December 1993: 14 December 1993; 21 December 1993: 28 December 1993 and 4 January 1994.
§ Sir John CopeOn 21 December 1993 a total of three passengers—two males and one female—arriving at Gatwick on flights from the Caribbean were subject to strip search by Customs. No objections were raised and no passenger refused to be strip searched. No illegal substances, were found on the passengers searched. In the search of passengers, Customs act within the provisions of section 164 of the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979.
No illegal substances were found by Customs on any passenger arriving from Jamaica who arrived on charter or scheduled flights from the Caribbean arriving at Gatwick on 21 December 1993. Consequently no passengers were charged with any related offences.
The only staff based specifically at Gatwick south terminal are those who deal with demand-led activities such as duty collection, VAT retail export schemes, custody officers and so on. The numbers of these for the dates in question are as follows:
22W
Staff 7 December 1993 15 14 December 1993 15 21 December 1993 16 28 December 1993 21 4 January 1994 14 For anti-smuggling purposes, including intelligence and investigation, Customs staff are not based at any particular terminal at Gatwick but are required to respond to the perceived risk at any given time. The total number of these staff on duty at Gatwick on the days listed was as follows:
Anti-Smuggling Intell. and Invest. 7 December 1993 75 23 14 December 1993 67 25 21 December 1993 55 22 28 December 1993 66 17 4 January 1994 57 17