Vehicle searches by immigration staff could be privatised under new legislation, the Public and Commercial Services union warned yesterday. The union, which represents 2,000 immigration staff, said efforts to combat people smuggling could be undermined if a clause in the immigration, asylum and nationality bill allowed the privatisation of freight and vehicle searches.

It said: "The fear is that contractors on low wages will be less committed and more open to criminal inducements. It is ludicrous to think that you can introduce the profit motive into something so serious as combating the trade in people smuggling and the security of our borders."