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Illegal Immigrants

Answer

[holding answer 29 February 2008]: Over the last 12 months we have drawn up plans for the biggest ever shake-up of Britain's border security. This year we will make the change.We have put in place fingerprint checks before we issue a visa anywhere in the world. We have already delivered 1.4 million sets of finger-scans, generating over 14,000 hits and bringing to notice 1,255 cases of identity swaps.In February, we introduced large on the spot fines for employers who don't make the right checks. In financial year 2006-07, there were 15 successful prosecutions including cautions under section 8, and 21 so far this financial year.Last month we introduced the first stage of the points based system as part of a phased approach to manage the flow of migrants coming to the UK. Applicants under the points based system will earn points for their skills and the potential they show for economic success, competence in the English language and ability to support themselves and their dependents. It is a simple, transparent and objective process that enables us to ensure that only those migrants who benefit the UK can come here to work or study. So far over 1,800 applications have been received under tier 1, highly skilled migrant workers. Future tiers will include students, skilled workers, youth mobility and temporary workers.On 1 April we launched the UK Border Agency, an organisation of 25,000 staff, with a presence in 135 countries world-wide. The new Agency will protect our border with single immigration and customs checks, tackle smuggling, immigration crime and border tax fraud, and implement fast and fair decisions.We have already had successes thanks to exporting the border. Airline liaison officers have assisted in preventing nearly 180,000 people boarding planes over the last five years. That's equivalent to about two jumbo jets a week. In 2007 our strengthening of cross channel border controls stopped 17,658 individual attempts to cross the channel illegally. Additionally at juxtaposed controls in France and Belgium we have refused over 6,000 people entry to the UK. This means the number of illegal immigrants arriving in Kent from juxtaposed locations has reduced by 86 per cent. since 2002.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

190537; 479 c1352-3W

Session

2007-08

Subjects

Undocumented migrants

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk