MP says Heathrow Airport is ‘third world slum’
04.03.11
Parts of Heathrow Airport resemble a ‘Third World slum’ and need to be immediately refurbished if we want to welcome tourists, a senior Labour backbencher has said. Denis MacShane, former Europe minister and MP for Rotherham, said passengers arriving at Heathrow are greeted by ‘surly, disagreeable officials’ and ‘horrible 1970s collectivist architecture’ at terminals one and three.
During questions in the House of Commons, Mr MacShane said: ‘If we want tourists to come to Britain, can we give them a slightly better welcome? Arriving at terminals one and three at Heathrow, it's like a Third World slum. It's easier to get in to Pakistan or North Korea. There are very surly, disagreeable officials, horrible 1970s collectivist architecture. Can we brighten up this gateway to Britain?’
Tourism Minister John Penrose replied: ‘I agree with you that we do as a country need to do more to make our entry ports more welcoming to foreigners and British people returning from abroad. There are a number of measures that we are currently actively considering.’
Greg Hands, Conservative MP for Chelsea and Fulham, said the length of immigration queues for non-EU nationals could be ‘depressing’. He said it should be easier for visitors from countries that do not need a visa to enter the UK, such as the United States, Canada or New Zealand, to clear immigration.
Mr Penrose replied that the Department for Culture, Media and Sport was in ‘close discussions’ with the Home Office and UK Border Agency about making it easier and quicker for those with chipped passports to enter the UK.
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