06 October 2003

Ferries face £2,000 fines for carrying 'illegal immigrants'

Cross channel ferry companies will have to co-operate with Home Office plans to roll out new detection equipment to prevent illegal immigration or face financial charges, under proposals announced today.

'Carriers liability' legislation means that operators must have effective controls in place to avoid bringing stowaways to the UK. If sufficient checks are not made they can be charged £2,000 for each one. Under the new Home Office proposals, ferry companies will have to make full use of detection technology to show they have made adequate checks.

New detection technology such as heartbeat detectors, thermal imaging and gamma scanners in France has contributed to 4,000 would-be illegal immigrants from reaching the UK in the first six months of this year.

The technology is in the process of being rolled out to the Belgian ports in Zeebrugge and Ostend, and the government is "keen" for ferry operators to make full use of the technology being offered to them by the Home Office.

Home Office Minister, Beverley Hughes, said: "The combination of new technology, immigration officers in France and close working with ferry operators such as P&O, has already stopped more than 4,000 would-be illegal immigrants reaching the UK illegally in the first half of this year. We aim to expand the use of this technology to secure the whole of the north European coastline - progressively moving the UK's borders abroad to prevent people reaching the UK clandestinely in the backs of lorries.

The government pays for providing and maintaining the detection technology equipment and staff training. Ferry companies making use of this equipment would normally be expected to meet the operating costs.

(gmcg)