§ Mr. GibbTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the reasons underlying his decision to abolish passport exit controls in 1997. [68083]
§ Beverley HughesA detailed study of the residual embarkation control was undertaken against the background of the decision by the Government in 1994, to abolish checks on passengers travelling from sea ports and small airports to continental destinations.
The residual embarkation control did not contribute to the overall effectiveness of the immigration control but was resource intensive. In 1997, 8 per cent. of the Immigration Service's operational duties were deployed to the operation of the embarkation control. After a lengthy period of consultation with interested parties, the Government decided in March 1998 to replace the routine presence of immigration officers with a new arrangement where the control could be set up at short notice in response to specific operational need. This was combined with an increased use of closed circuit television technology.
The reconfiguration of the embarkation control means that the Immigration Service can now use its resources more flexibly, concentrating on crucial areas such as clandestine entry, removals and secure border control.