§ Lord Cadmanasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will provide figures listing the annual cost of providing Customs and Immigration facilities at the principal international seaports, airports and railway stations in the United Kingdom; and by how much these costs are reduced by charges levied on the operators of those installations. [HL2814]
§ Lord McIntosh of HaringeyAs part of the port or airport approval process, carriers or port-airport operators are required to provide, at their expense, accommodation for passenger and cargo control facilities to enable Customs and the Immigration Service to carry out certain statutory duties. The operators do not provide Customs or the Immigration Service with details of the costs of these control facilities.
In addition, Customs pay for other facilities (primarily office accommodation and other operational facilities in terminal buildings). The cost of these facilities at the principal international seaports, airports and railway stations in the United Kingdom is about £5.7 million a year. The equivalent cost for providing Immigration Service facilities at all ports and airports at which the Service operates is about £8.4 million a year. These accommodation costs are not reduced by any charges levied on the operators of ports, airports or railway stations.