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Channel Tunnel (Illegal Immigration)
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with (a) Eurotunnel and (b) the French authorities regarding illegal immigration through the Channel Tunnel; and if he will make a statement. [5840]
Angela Eagle: Home Office Ministers and officials have regular discussions with both Eurotunnel and the French authorities about illegal immigration through the Channel Tunnel. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary discussed the subject with the French Minister of the Interior, M. Daniel Vaillant, on 11 July; and I discussed it with the Interior Ministers of France,
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Belgium and the Netherlands at a meeting on 17 July. The issue was discussed at the Anglo-French Ministerial Summit in Cahors on 9 February, and at subsequent meetings of the UK-French Cross-Channel Commission of senior officials and its sub-group.
Home Office Ministers have corresponded with Eurotunnel on a number of occasions about illegal immigration problems and improvements to the tunnel security regime. In addition, Immigration and Nationality Directorate officials are in close contact with Eurotunnel.
We have emphasised, through these contacts, that Eurotunnel needs to do more to secure its site at Coquelles. The present situation there is unacceptable, with increased numbers exploiting security deficiencies and posing a safety risk both to themselves and to the tunnel. We are therefore consulting Eurotunnel, and other interested parties, on proposals to extend the civil penalty to Eurotunnel freight train services.
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many illegal immigrants were detected after passing through the Channel Tunnel in the past two years; and if he will make a statement. [5841]
Angela Eagle: The number of clandestine entrants detected at Kent ports in 1999, 2000 and the first half of 2001 is set out in the list. Figures are taken from local records and are provisional.
It is not possible to establish precisely how many arrived through the Channel Tunnel system. Some are detected inland and cannot be attributed to a particular entry point.
In the first six months of 2001, 3,012 clandestine entrants were detected at the Cheriton Terminal. This is a recent phenomenon, which has followed a tightening of security in the port of Calais.
Provisional figures indicate that the overall number of persons who have been detected at Kent ports or inland in Kent has reduced by 25 per cent. during the first six months of 2001 compared with the same period in 2000. This includes persons who had no documents, were clandestine entrants or arrived through the tunnel system.
Action is in hand to implement civil penalties in respect of the Eurotunnel shuttles following a period of consultation.
- Clandestine Entrants: Dover ports
1999: 8,878
2000: 12,679
2001: 4,071 (to 30 June 2001)
- Undocumented arrivals: Dover
1999: 8,276
2000: 7,014
2001: 701 (to 30 June 2001)
Cheriton terminal arrivals
1999: nil
2000: 100 (estimated)
2001: 3,012 (30 June 2001)
South East ports totals
1999: 17,154
2000: 19,693 (excluding Cheriton estimated arrivals)
2001: 7,784 (to 30 June 2001).
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Police Shootings
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for each year since 1980, how many civilians have been shot by police; of those how many were (a) fatally wounded and (b) armed; how many officers were charged in connection with each incident; and how many successful prosecutions ensued in each case. [5480]
Mr. Denham: Figures available are for 1991 onwards and are as follows:
| Persons shot by police | Fatally wounded | (55)Armed | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 5 | 3 | 5 |
| 1992 | 11 | 3 | 11 |
| 1993 | 5 | 3 | 5 |
| 1994 | 6 | 2 | 6 |
| 1995 | 5 | 2 | 3 |
| 1996 | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| 1997 | 1 | — | 1 |
| 1998 | 5 | 2 | 3 |
| 1999 | 7 | 3 | 6 |
| 2000 | 6 | 2 | 6 |
| 2001 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
(55) Includes incidents where the person was subsequently found to be in possession of a replica or imitation firearm or in possession of other dangerous weapons (knives, air weapons etc.).
The number of officers charged in connection with each case and the number of successful prosecutions, by year of incident, are as follows:
| Number of officers charged(56) | Number of successful prosecutions(56) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | — | — |
| 1992 | — | — |
| 1993 | — | — |
| 1994 | — | — |
| 1995 | (57)1 | (59)— |
| 1996 | — | — |
| 1997 | — | — |
| 1998 | (58)4 | (60)— |
| 1999 | — | — |
| 2000 | — | — |
| 2001 | — | — |
(56) As at 19 July 2001.
(57) Murder—one incident
(58) One for murder and three for misfeasance in public office—same incident
(59) Found not guilty
(60) All found not guilty
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reason no decision has yet been taken in respect of the instigation of disciplinary proceedings against Sussex Police officers involved in the policing operation that involved the fatal shooting of James Ashley. [5474]
Mr. Denham: Now that the criminal proceedings against Sussex Police officers involved in the shooting of James Ashley have concluded, it is for the independent Police Complaints Authority (PCA) to decide whether disciplinary proceedings should be instituted against any of those officers.
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Sussex police have supplied the PCA with the necessary memorandum to enable the Authority to reach its decision. The PCA has agreed to advise the Force of its decision by 31 August 2001.
Sussex police now await that decision and can take no action until it is forthcoming.
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reason the disciplinary hearing involving the Deputy Chief Constable of Sussex Police in respect of his involvement in the policing operation that involved the fatal shooting of James Ashley is not due to commence until 7 January 2002. [5473]
Mr. Denham: This is a matter for the Sussex Police Authority.
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent information he has collated on (a) police shootings and (b) the results of PCA inquiries into police shootings, and if he will make a statement. [5909]
Mr. Denham: Statistics are published on an annual basis on the number of police operations involving firearms, the number of authorised firearms officers and the number of operations involving armed response vehicles. The number of occasions on which firearms are discharged, and any resulting fatalities, are also recorded.
Information on specific incidents in which shots are discharged, and any subsequent findings or recommendations arising from investigations supervised by the Police Complaints Authority, are carefully considered by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) sub-committee on the Police Use of Firearms. The Home Office is represented on this committee and will consider, in consultation with ACPO, any incidents which give rise to serious concern. Any lessons to be learned from such incidents are subsequently fed into the Manual on the Police Use of Firearms and into police training arrangements.
Strangeways Prison (Phones)
Andrew Bennett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many telephone lines are available at Manchester Strangeways Prison for individuals to phone about prison visits; what percentage of callers get through first time; and what percentage of callers fail to get through after five attempts. [4966]
Beverley Hughes: There are three lines available for booking domestic visits at Manchester Prison.
There have been difficulties with the booking system at Manchester for some time, but it is only recently that technical problems with the telephony equipment have been identified. Manchester is programmed to have its entire telephone system replaced in or around October this year.
The other information requested is not available as the telephone logging records only show the number of successful and unsuccessful calls and do not identify the source or whether it is a first or repeat call. Figures for
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November 2000, the most recent available, show that 83.5 per cent. of incoming calls received the engaged signal.
It has been very difficult for callers to contact the visit booking service at Manchester prison at certain times, and we regret the inconvenience this has caused. Prior to replacing the system, a weekend telephone booking facility is being introduced from 22 July, and from 19 August prisoners will be able to book visits on behalf of their visitors, who will then be able to collect their visiting orders on arrival at the prison gate.
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