News

The number of stowaways caught attempting to get into the UK from the Continent has rocketed, with 14,000 at the Port of Calais alone so far detected this year. Home Office figures show this is already 2,000 (17%) more "clandestines" than were caught at Calais in either 2007 or 2006. The figures were provided to Commercial Motor after a freedom of information request into the number of 'fence jumpers' that have been caught and detained. Fence jumpers differ from clandestines in that they have  already managed to pass through security controls when they smuggle themselves on to lorries.

Any operator who can prove a stowaway is a fence jumper does not have to pay a civil penalty however, the Home Office admits it does not provide any guidance about how a haulier could prove this. Following an appeal, the Home Office now says its attempt to withhold figures on fence jumpers was flawed as it does not keep records on them. Steve Kirk, Home Office information management service officer, states: "The information withheld from you was in fact the number of 'clandestines' caught by the British authorities at Calais. I am very sorry that the phrasing of the [UK Border Agency] reply was not as clear as it should have been."

The Home Office says that in 2006, more than 16,000 clandestines were detected at juxtaposed controls, which includes Calais, Lille,  Coquelles, Dunkirk and Brussels approximately 12,000 of these were at Calais. This rose to more than 17,000 clandestines in 2007, but the same number at Calais. So far in 2008, more than 22,000 clandestines have been detected at juxtaposed controls with more than 14,000 at Calais.

Peter Cullum, head of international affairs at the Road Haulage Association, says: "If they don't tell us the whole story, we can't help them."