Clause 2
UK Borders Bill
5:15 pm
Paul Rowen (Shadow Minister, Transport; Rochdale, Liberal Democrat)
We are very happy with the amendments. We believe that the powers of the designated officer are the key issue. Clearly, if someone attempts to enter the country unlawfully, no one—not just immigration officers, but citizens—should attempt to assist them. The proposals are sensible and take account of the fact that in many small ports, there might not be many designated officers around. If that were the case, and someone attempted to abscond, anyone at the port should have the authority to stop and detain them.