Written question asked by Mike Hancock (Liberal Democrat) on Monday, 13 October 2003, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 21 October 2003. It was answered by Baroness Hughes of Stretford (Labour) on Tuesday, 21 October 2003 on behalf of the Home Office.

Home Office

Question: To 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. - Including figure.

Answer: Mr. Hancock: To 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 Hughes: The 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.

Secondary information