§ 17. Mr. Geraint DaviesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action is being taken to prevent illegal asylum seekers attempting to enter the United Kingdom hidden in vehicles. [69123]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienWe will tackle the problem of illegal immigration. We are developing increased European and international co-operation to crack down on traffickers. Increased liaison between British and French border authorities is already paying dividends in preventing 2,000 illegal immigrants in the last six months from embarking for Dover. Seven traffickers are being prosecuted by the French as a direct result of information provided by the Immigration Service. The Immigration and Asylum Bill contains several important provisions, including a civil penalty which will apply to drivers of vehicles found transporting clandestine entrants to Britain.
§ 29. Mr. ProsserTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to relieve the pressure on accommodation for asylum seekers in London and the south-east. [69136]
§ 35. Mr. BeardTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to relieve the pressure on accommodation for asylum seekers in London and the south-east. [69142]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienAs a result of court decisions arising out of the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996, Local Councils have faced an unacceptable burden in dealing with asylum seekers. Councils like Dover and Kent deserve great praise for their handling of these issues. Next year, the new Immigration and Asylum Bill will place responsibility on a Government Agency to provide for asylum seekers and to end the disproportionate pressure on Dover and other areas of Kent, as well as London. In the meantime, the Local Government Association is setting up a non-statutory dispersal scheme and the Government have provided extra funding for it.