asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what was the number of people detained in prison department establishments as (a) illegal entrants by deception and (b) illegal entrants by avoiding controls, as at 15th November 1978;(2) what was the number of people detained in prison department establishments for illegal entry under the authority of an immigration officer on 15 November 1978; how many had been detained for one month or less, for three months or less and for longer than four months; and what was the longest period for which any person was detained.

The information available is as follows:Apart from those awaiting trial or serving sentences of imprisonment, there were on 16 November 1978, 60 people detained in prison and elsewhere as illegal entrants on the authority of an immigration officer.In 10 cases the precise method of entry could not be established. In 38 it was concluded that entry had been by deception, and in 12 that entry had been by avoidance of the immigrantion controls.The periods of detention were as follows: