Immigration: Tuberculosis Testing Debate

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Department: Department for Transport

Immigration: Tuberculosis Testing

Lord Morris of Handsworth Excerpts
Tuesday 11th December 2012

(11 years, 11 months ago)

Lords Chamber
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Earl Attlee Portrait Earl Attlee
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My Lords, my noble friend is absolutely right. Overseas tests already take place, first by X-ray and then by a sputum test in the event of a positive result. This results in cost savings because we do not need to treat someone suffering from tuberculosis if they come to the UK.

Lord Morris of Handsworth Portrait Lord Morris of Handsworth
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My Lords, given that tuberculosis is not exclusive to immigrants, does the Minister agree that everyone coming into the United Kingdom from some of the suspect countries should be tested?

Earl Attlee Portrait Earl Attlee
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My Lords, sadly, about 30% of the world’s population have latent TB. We would not test people from other European states even if they have a TB problem.