§ Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been 529W (a) prosecuted and (b) convicted for people smuggling offences in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [29641]
§ Mr. Bob AinsworthThe available information, from the Home Office Court Proceedings Database, relating to England and Wales for the years 1996 to 2000, is shown in the table. These data cover proceedings under the
Persons proceeded against and convicted at all courts for offences under the Immigration Act 1974 sec. 25 (1) (a), (b) and (c) England and Wales 1996 to 2000 Offence description Principal statute 1996 1997 1998 1999 20002 Proceeded against1 Knowingly concerned in making or carrying out arrangements for securing or facilitating the entry into the UK of anyone whom he knows or has reasonable cause for believing to be an illegal entrant Immigration Act 1974 sec. 25(1)(b) as added by Asylum and Immigration Act 1996 s.5 153 173 193 233 199 Knowingly concerned in making or carry out arrangements for securing or facilitating the entry into the UK of anyone whom he knows or has reasonable cause for believing to be an asylum claimant Immigration Act 1974 sec. 25(1)(c) as added by Asylum and Immigration Act 1996 s.5 3— 4 4 20 11 Knowingly concerned in making or carrying out arrangements for securing or facilitating the obtaining by anyone of leave to remain in the UK by means which he knows or has reasonable cause for believing to include deception Immigration Act 1974 sec. 25(1)(c) as added by Asylum and Immigration Act 1996 s.5 3— 4 13 11 12 Total 153 181 210 264 222 Found guilty1 Knowingly concerned in making or carrying out arrangements for securing or facilitating the entry into the UK of anyone whom he knows or has reasonable cause for believing to be an illegal entrant Immigration Act 1974 sec. 25(1)(c) as added by Asylum and Immigration Act 1996 s.5 123 130 115 150 145 Knowingly concerned in making or carry out arrangements for securing or facilitating the entry into the UK of anyone whom he knows or has reasonable cause for believing to be an asylum claimant Immigration Act 1974 sec. 25(1)(c) as added by Asylum and Immigration Act 1996 s.5 3— — 3 6 3 Knowingly concerned in making or carrying out arrangements for securing or facilitating the obtaining by anyone of leave to remain in the UK by means which he knows or has reasonable cause for believing to include deception Immigration Act 1974 sec. 25(1)(c) as added by Asylum and Immigration Act 1996 s.5 3— 1 5 6 11 Total 123 131 123 162 159 1 Figures provided are on the principal immigration offence basis 2 Staffordshire police force were only able to submit sample data for persons proceeded against and convicted in the magistrates courts for the year 2000. Although sufficient to estimate higher orders of data these data are not robust at a detailed level and have been excluded from this table. 3 Not applicable.