FOLLOWING A series of embarrassing incidents involving illegal immigration and the Home Office, a Dundee MP has called on the Government to devolve migration control to a new Scottish immigration service.

Dundee East MP Stewart Hosie yesterday said the inefficiency of the Home Office and Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) could be resolved with the creation of a Scottish migration management body.

Armed with Home Office figures for 1998 to 2004, the SNP home affairs spokes-man said there was a disparity in apprehending illegal entries between Gatwick and Scottish airports, despite Scottish airports having nearly half the staff of Gatwick to deal with immigration matters.

Figures from a parliamentary answer last year revealed the number of people found entering the UK illegally at Scottish airports over the six-year period was 74 compared to none at Gatwick Airport.

Mr Hosie said, “What is needed now is for Scotland to take on the mature responsibilities of a managed-migration policy and escape the circus that has engulfed the centralised and unmanageable London-run Home Office.”

Mr Hosie yesterday tabled a parliamentary question asking how many illegal entries were made at the main UK ports of entry.