Written question asked by Humfrey Malins (Conservative) on Thursday, 4 July 2002, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 10 July 2002. It was answered by Baroness Hughes of Stretford (Labour) on Wednesday, 10 July 2002 on behalf of the Home Office.

Home Office

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of lorries passing through Dover from France are checked by a (a) dog, (b) heart detector machine, (c) carbon dioxide stick and (d) X-ray machine. - Inc figures. (Holding answer 9 July 2002).

Answer: Mr. Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of lorries passing through Dover from France are checked by a (a) dog, (b) heartbeat detector machine, (c) carbon dioxide stick and (d) X-ray machine. [68628] Beverley Hughes: [holding answer 9 July 2002]: Based on collated intelligence and profiling, the Immigration Service currently checks approximately 12 per cent. of lorries which arrive at Dover on cross-channel ferries. Immigration Officers use a combination of all the methods of detection referred to, the choice of which is determined by the characteristics of the vehicle to be searched. No figures are held which illustrate the frequency of use of one method over another.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 68628; 388 c1066W;388 c1065W
Session: 2001-02
Subjects: Asylum Dogs Immigration controls Undocumented migrants Large goods vehicles X-rays Dover
Contains statistics: Yes
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk