§ Mr. HawkinsTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to extend to the Immigration Service decisions regarding the removal of illegal entrants. [15311]
§ Mr. KirkhopeAt present, designated senior officers in the immigration service may authorise the removal of certain categories of people who have entered the United Kingdom illegally while other cases are referred to Ministers for authority to remove. In future, designated senior officers will be responsible for authorising removal in all cases other than those in which special features, such as Parliamentary interest or a high level of public concern about a case, indicate that they should be referred to Ministers for decision.
The existing arrangements under which Ministers personally authorise and sign orders requiring a person's deportation from the United Kingdom are unaffected by these changes.