§ Mr. LidingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with(a) Eurotunnel and (b) the French authorities regarding illegal immigration through the Channel Tunnel; and if he will make a statement. [5840]
678Wcategory for less than six months. The data relate to January to September 2000, the latest period available.
Table 1: Passengers refused leave to enter and removed, by selected nationality, 2000 to February 2001 Number of journeys Total refused leave to enter and removed Of which: main reason for refusal—not satisfied a genuine visitor 2000 Jamaica 2,236 1,962 Barbados 37 34 Guyana 13 1 Canada 285 198 Australia 303 256 January 2001 Jamaica 234 206 Barbados 5 4 Guyana 1 — Canada 32 22 Australia 29 27 February 2001 Jamaica 228 185 Barbados 2 2 Guyana 2 — Canada 31 25 Australia 18 9
§ Angela EagleHome Office Ministers and officials have regular discussions with both Eurotunnel and the French authorities about illegal immigration through the Channel Tunnel. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary discussed the subject with the French Minister of the Interior, M. Daniel Vaillant, on 11 July; and I discussed it with the Interior Ministers of France, 679W Belgium and the Netherlands at a meeting on 17 July. The issue was discussed at the Anglo-French Ministerial Summit in Cahors on 9 February, and at subsequent meetings of the UK-French Cross-Channel Commission of senior officials and its sub-group.
Home Office Ministers have corresponded with Eurotunnel on a number of occasions about illegal immigration problems and improvements to the tunnel security regime. In addition, Immigration and Nationality Directorate officials are in close contact with Eurotunnel.
We have emphasised, through these contacts, that Eurotunnel needs to do more to secure its site at Coquelles. The present situation there is unacceptable, with increased numbers exploiting security deficiencies and posing a safety risk both to themselves and to the tunnel. We are therefore consulting Eurotunnel, and other interested parties, on proposals to extend the civil penalty to Eurotunnel freight train services.
§ Mr. LidingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many illegal immigrants were detected after passing through the Channel Tunnel in the past two years; and if he will make a statement. [5841]
§ Angela EagleThe number of clandestine entrants detected at Kent ports in 1999, 2000 and the first half of 2001 is set out in the list. Figures are taken from local records and are provisional.
It is not possible to establish precisely how many arrived through the Channel Tunnel system. Some are detected inland and cannot be attributed to a particular entry point.
In the first six months of 2001, 3,012 clandestine entrants were detected at the Cheriton Terminal. This is a recent phenomenon, which has followed a tightening of security in the port of Calais.
Provisional figures indicate that the overall number of persons who have been detected at Kent ports or inland in Kent has reduced by 25 per cent. during the first six months of 2001 compared with the same period in 2000. This includes persons who had no documents, were clandestine entrants or arrived through the tunnel system.
Action is in hand to implement civil penalties in respect of the Eurotunnel shuttles following a period of consultation.
Clandestine Entrants: Dover ports
- 1999: 8,878
- 2000: 12,679
- 2001: 4,071 (to 30 June 2001)
Undocumented arrivals: Dover
- 1999: 8,276
- 2000: 7,014
- 2001: 701 (to 30 June 2001)
Cheriton terminal arrivals
- 1999: nil
- 2000: 100 (estimated)
- 2001: 3,012 (30 June 2001)
South East ports totals
- 1999: 17,154
- 2000: 19,693 (excluding Cheriton estimated arrivals)
- 2001: 7,784 (to 30 June 2001)