Tuberculosis: Immigrants

Mr. Gale
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements are made for the screening for tuberculosis of immigrants arriving (a) legally and (b) illegally if apprehended at the Port of Dover.

Mr. Byrne
[holding answer 15 May 2007]: I have been asked to reply.

Immigrants arriving at Dover will already have passed through the juxtaposed border control in Continental Europe. If the arriving passengers are residents of a country where pre-entry screening is required then they will already have been screened for tuberculosis.

Illegal entrants who are apprehended at Dover may be detained at a police station and would be referred for a medical examination if necessary. If detained at an immigration removal centre they are required under the Detention Centre Rules 2001 to be given a medical examination within 24 hours of admission subject to their consent.