§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he next plans to meet the French authorities to discuss(a) illegal immigration from France and (b) trafficking of illegal immigrants across Europe. [131980]
§ Beverley HughesThere is extensive co-operation between the two Governments and Ministers meet regularly to discuss issues of mutual concern. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary met the French Minister of the Interior on 19–20 October.
§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of(a) the use of freight searching equipment, and (b) steps taken by the French authorities to return failed asylum seekers to the Balkans. [131981]
§ Beverley HughesThe effectiveness of using UK freight searching equipment in France has been clear for some time. There has been during 2003, the capacity to search 100 per cent. of freight vehicles passing through Calais and the number of clandestines encountered by Immigration Officers in the South East District (SED) has fallen drastically as a result. Locally collated management information (which may be subject to revision and correction) indicates a fall of 72 per cent. in monthly detections by SED, from 975 in September 2002 to 270 in June 2003.
New detection technology has also now been deployed in Belgium at Zeebrugge and Ostend and will be rolled out to other ports in Northern France. The deployment of UK detection technology in continental Europe has been a key measure in reducing asylum applications from 8,770 in October 2002 to 3,610 in June 2003.
The French are continuing to operate an efficient system for dealing with asylum applications and failed asylum seekers are being removed to their countries of origin, including the Balkans. The French are currently bringing in new legislation to tighten up their immigration rules.
§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for the(a) issuing and (b) loaning of high-technology UK freight searching equipment to port-cities in (i) the United Kingdom and (ii) Europe; what equipment is in place; and if he will make a statement. [131983]
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§ Beverley HughesThere are no current plans to issue or loan freight-searching technology to port operators in the United Kingdom. Freight searching to detect clandestine arrivals is carried out in the United Kingdom by the UK Immigration Service.
As part of the measures to reduce the number of unfounded asylum applications in the United Kingdom, a programme is under way to loan and deploy UK-owned detection technology to port operators and carriers overseas.
We have deployed people detection technology at the ports of Calais and Coquelles. At Calais there is the capability to screen 100 per cent. of embarking freight vehicles. Following the tightening of security at Calais, we are taking steps to deploy at other continental ports including in France, Belgium and Holland, vulnerable to the displacement of clandestine activity.
Additionally, a UK owned scanner is currently on loan to the Belgian authorities and is deployed by the Belgian Federal Maritime Police. In line with the UK commitment to work with European partners to combat illegal immigration, UK owned technology is also currently on loan to the Irish and German authorities.