A recent report by the quality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) found that there is discrimination against certain sections of society who are stopped at British ports and airports under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act.
According to the report, people of Pakistani origin are 52 times more likely to be stopped, while those of less specific Asian origin were 11 times more likely to be stopped than white people.
People from Pakistan were not only likely to be stopped but were 135 times more likely to be questioned and examined for more than an hour by border officials and 154 times more likely to be detained.
In fact, non-whites generally were more likely to be stopped and questioned, with black people being stopped on average 6.3 times more often than white people and mixed-race passengers 3.6 times more often. Figures in the report show that 53,992 people were stopped at UK borders during 2012-13
The Home Office has pledged to working closely with the EHRC to ensure that there is no discrimination against ethnic minority passengers at the UK borders.
However, a spokesperson for the department pointed out that Schedule 7 is a vital border security power that helps to detect and disrupt threats from terrorism.
They added that the Schedule led to around 20 prosecutions a year for terrorist–related offences between 2005 and 2009 because a number of key individuals had been convicted after being stopped at a port or airport.
The Home Office carried out a review of Schedule 7 in 2012, which included a public consultation and, as a result, introduced a number of reforms, which are currently going through Parliament.