Rise in illegal entry cases

The number of alleged illegal immigrants increased by 40 per cent last year, according to Home Office statistics. Illegal-entry action was initiated against 10,381 people in 1995, but only 3,020 were removed or voluntarily left the country, a 7 per cent drop.

According to the annual report of the Home Office's Immigration and Nationality Directorate, the decline in removals was due to an increase in the proportion claiming asylum, up from 32 per cent in 1993 to 67 per cent in 1995. It noted that the largest single category of illegal entrant remained those who gained entry by deceiving an immigration officer on arrival - 35 per cent of those detected in 1995. Another 31 per cent, were smuggled into the country, an 83 per cent rise.