Written question asked by Peter Duncan (Conservative) on Tuesday, 20 May 2003, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 3 June 2003. It was answered by Baroness Hughes of Stretford (Labour) on Tuesday, 3 June 2003 on behalf of the Home Office.

Home Office

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will reallocate resources to create a permanent immigration office in Wigtownshire to cover Stranraer and Cairnryan ports.

Answer: Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will reallocate resources to create a permanent immigration office in Wigtownshire to cover Stranraer and Cairnryan ports. [115828] Beverley Hughes: Passenger traffic at Stranraer is within the Common Travel Area between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. Therefore, it is not designated as a Port of Entry within the provisions of the Immigration Acts. When available, Immigration Service staff operate at Stranraer in support of Police controls operated by Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary, from whom suspected immigration offenders are referred. Any person so referred is initially processed by the Immigration Service within police accommodation at Stranraer Police Station. Such persons may then be granted temporary release or transferred to Dungavel House Immigration Removal Centre. As Stranraer and Cairnryan are within the Common Travel Area there is no lawful requirement for having a permanent on-entry Immigration control at Stranraer or Cairnryan.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 115828; 406 c154W
Session: 2002-03
Subjects: Asylum Finance Immigration officers Scotland Port of Cairnryan Stranraer Port
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk