§ Mr. ClappisonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the terms of reference of the spending review dealing with issues relating to immigration and to border and passport controls. [13399]
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§ Mr. Mike O'BrienThe terms of reference of the study of immigration controls at ports which forms part of the Home Office comprehensive spending review are:
To review the cost effectiveness of United Kingdom immigration controls, with particular reference to the deployment of resources at ports of entry, taking into account:
legal constraints following the Amsterdam summit;projected increases in the number of passengers arriving in the United Kingdom;projected changes in the numbers and nature of inadmissible and inadequately documented passengers arriving in the United Kingdom;new technology and consequent organisational changes in immigration clearance processes;the potential for close co-operation with other agencies, including carriers and port authorities;the scope and application of the Carriers' Liability Act;the scope for joint working with Customs and the police;the scope for charging for services and the attendant financial regime;the balance between pre, post and on-entry control, including the costs and benefits of more preventative activity.The study will have regard to other work, including the foreign and commonwealth office review of entry clearance, the study of asylum process, the appeals review, the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) reviews of detention and enforcement strategy and the implications for the IND Casework Programme.