Stowaways: defence will be due diligence
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by David Craik Truck drivers who can prove they have brought illegal immigrants into the UK unwittingly will escape the Government's planned V,000-per-stowaway fine and vehicle confiscation.
Home Office Minister Mike O'Brien has accepted a proposal from the Road Haulage and Freight Transport Associ ations that due diligence should be accepted as a defence—now the associations plan to set up checkpoints at the major ports to help drivers examine their vehicles.
Drivers who use these checkpoints and hand over any stowaways to the authorities will escape the penalties, according to O'Brien.
RHA directorgeneral Steven Norris. who met O'Brien several times, has praised the entire industry for helping to modify the Government's plans.
Geoff Dossetter of the FTA says: "After a series of meetings, we have helped persuade the Government that drivers with illegal stowaways on board are neither guilty nor inept but mostly blameless."
The associations will now consider setting up permanent checkpoints in foreign ports, but Dossetter stresses: It is vital that the checks do not affect schedules. As for cost, I imagine drivers would be willing to pay. say, £10 for a check rather than face a £2,000 fine."
The Government's change of heart was partly prompted by Commercial Motor, which sent O'Brien evidence of the scale of the problem.