HC Deb 29 January 2003 vol 398 cc911-2W
Mr. Andrew Turner

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what manpower complement is allocated by immigration services to each of the south coast ports; what his estimate is of how many persons entered through each port in the last year for which information is available; and what coverage is available for non-canalized ports of entry. [91252]

Beverley Hughes

The latest data on passenger arrivals that is available for public use is for 2001.

For a meaningful comparison, a snapshot taken on 31 December 2001 shows the actual number of staff in post at the south coast ports of Dover East, Dover Hoverport, Felixstowe, Folkestone, Newhaven, Plymouth, Poole, Portsmouth and Southampton on that date was 404 full time equivalent officers, comprising of 356 immigration service staff and 48 administrative staff.

The total number of passenger arrivals at south coast ports was 9,924,100. This figure is broken down as follows:

South Coast Port Number
Dover East 6,340,000
Dover Hoverport 944,000
Felixstowe 55,200
Folkestone 28,900
Newhaven 169,000
Plymouth 328,000
Poole 140,000
Portsmouth 1,620,00
Southampton 299,000

Note:

Figures rounded to the nearest three significant digits.

The UK Immigration Service conducts regular risk assessments of small ports not routinely staffed and there is continuous monitoring of arrivals including spot checks. The details of passengers subject to immigration control arriving at small ports, which are not routinely staffed by the Immigration Service, are still checked against the Warnings Index system.

Mr. Malins

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 19 December 2002,Official Report, column 988W, on immigration, whether the Reporting Line is still in operation; and when he will publish the evaluation of the trial.[93834]

Beverley Hughes

The trial of the confidential hotline ran from May to July 2002. I have remitted the recommendations of the evaluation back to officials for further details on cost and application. I undertook, in my response to the hon. member's most recent question on this subject, 20 January 2002,Official Report, column 183W, to write to the hon. member once these details have been considered. I will do so as soon as this consideration has taken place.