Clause 2 - Entering United Kingdom without passport
Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc.) Bill
3:15 pm
Mr Humfrey Malins (Woking, Conservative)
I do not have the slightest idea; it is not for me to say. I do a lot of shopping in supermarkets, and I have a considerable number of cards from various supermarkets in my pocket. The hon. Gentleman makes a fair point; it is a reflection of modern technology. We all want the same end: a method by which we can ensure that people who destroy their documents on an aeroplane cannot get away with it, because their documents have been scanned or copied earlier. That is our aim—I do not know about the technology involved.
The Greek airline retains passports during the flight and then produces them for immigration officials. The airline argues that it is the only way to stop asylum
seekers boarding a flight with fake documents, destroying them during the flight and then claiming asylum when they arrive in the UK, having no documentation. That is a real live issue. The Minister has probably heard of Olympic Airways' plan and I should be glad if she would comment on its efficacy.
Will the Government make proposals to force airlines on some routes to copy passengers' documents before they depart? I hope not, because despite the way in which my proposal is drafted—it is merely a peg on which to hang a discussion—it might not be sensible to force the airlines to do so. There is a better argument for saying that passengers should arrive at airports with duplicate copies of their documents. The hon. Member for Cardiff, Central (Mr. Jones) shakes his head.