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Full border passport checks hit illegal migrant screening and drugs seizures Full border passport checks hit illegal migrant screening and drugs seizures
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The home secretary's drive to ensure that full passport checks are carried out at Britain's borders has only been achieved at the expense of less rigorous screening for illegal migrants and fewer seizures of some types of drugs and weapons, says Whitehall's spending watchdog.The home secretary's drive to ensure that full passport checks are carried out at Britain's borders has only been achieved at the expense of less rigorous screening for illegal migrants and fewer seizures of some types of drugs and weapons, says Whitehall's spending watchdog.
The National Audit Office reveals today that a "culture of fear" was operating within the recently formed border force, with staff reluctant to report instances when other duties have been neglected in order to tackle passport queues, for fear of the consequences. Any failures to carry out full passport checks have to be reported directly to the home secretary.The National Audit Office reveals today that a "culture of fear" was operating within the recently formed border force, with staff reluctant to report instances when other duties have been neglected in order to tackle passport queues, for fear of the consequences. Any failures to carry out full passport checks have to be reported directly to the home secretary.
Theresa May split the 8,400-strong UK Border Force off from the UK Border Agency in March 2012 after a row over the lifting of some passport checks, which led to the suspension and then resignation of the then UKBA head, Brodie Clark. The new organisation ran into immediate trouble in the run-up to the 2012 Olympics when emergency measures had to be taken to deal with passport queues of up to four hours as a result of May's decision to abandon the "risk-based approach" to checks.Theresa May split the 8,400-strong UK Border Force off from the UK Border Agency in March 2012 after a row over the lifting of some passport checks, which led to the suspension and then resignation of the then UKBA head, Brodie Clark. The new organisation ran into immediate trouble in the run-up to the 2012 Olympics when emergency measures had to be taken to deal with passport queues of up to four hours as a result of May's decision to abandon the "risk-based approach" to checks.
The NAO also discloses that a crucial "warnings index", which is used by UK Border Force staff to determine whether passengers should be detained and questioned, was so far beyond its "use-by date" that it is now unstable and in danger of collapse.The NAO also discloses that a crucial "warnings index", which is used by UK Border Force staff to determine whether passengers should be detained and questioned, was so far beyond its "use-by date" that it is now unstable and in danger of collapse.
Margaret Hodge, the chair of the public accounts committee, said the border force had done well to reduce queueing times during and after the Olympics: "But it is deeply worrying that this came at the expense of its other responsibilities, particularly customs. The border force must be able to check both goods and passengers at the same time – border security cannot be an either/or choice."Margaret Hodge, the chair of the public accounts committee, said the border force had done well to reduce queueing times during and after the Olympics: "But it is deeply worrying that this came at the expense of its other responsibilities, particularly customs. The border force must be able to check both goods and passengers at the same time – border security cannot be an either/or choice."
The committee said that despite a recruitment drive, staff shortages still persisted at many of the airports and ports it visited. Border force staff at two ports told committee members that when they were under pressure to reduce passport queues they had to cut back the time spent questioning passengers whom they suspected were unlikely to comply with their visa conditions.The committee said that despite a recruitment drive, staff shortages still persisted at many of the airports and ports it visited. Border force staff at two ports told committee members that when they were under pressure to reduce passport queues they had to cut back the time spent questioning passengers whom they suspected were unlikely to comply with their visa conditions.
"At Calais, we observed officers being taken off controls [set up] to detect clandestine illegal entrants to the UK concealed in lorries in order to deal with passenger queues. This occurred three times between 6 and 8 April 2013. In three days, freight searching by border force officers was suspended on a further 19 occasions due to understaffing.""At Calais, we observed officers being taken off controls [set up] to detect clandestine illegal entrants to the UK concealed in lorries in order to deal with passenger queues. This occurred three times between 6 and 8 April 2013. In three days, freight searching by border force officers was suspended on a further 19 occasions due to understaffing."
The NAO investigation found that during the first half of 2012-13 border staff were more than 10% below targets for seizures of offensive weapons, non class-A drugs, cigarettes and tobacco, for counterfeit goods detections, for forged documents detections. But UK BA staff did meet or exceed targets on seizing class-A drugs and guns in the first half.The NAO investigation found that during the first half of 2012-13 border staff were more than 10% below targets for seizures of offensive weapons, non class-A drugs, cigarettes and tobacco, for counterfeit goods detections, for forged documents detections. But UK BA staff did meet or exceed targets on seizing class-A drugs and guns in the first half.
The report's most alarming disclosure was the current state of the official "warnings index", which is used to determine whether passengers should be detained or questioned during passport checks.The report's most alarming disclosure was the current state of the official "warnings index", which is used to determine whether passengers should be detained or questioned during passport checks.
"The warnings index went live in the early 1990s and was designed to have a seven-year life span. It is now unstable and at risk of collapsing," the NAO report said. "It also contains a great deal of out-of-date information, which can delay passenger processing if officers need to leave passport control to double-check entries. It will, for example, contain details of someone being refused entry to the UK but not state whether they have subsequently been granted permission to enter.""The warnings index went live in the early 1990s and was designed to have a seven-year life span. It is now unstable and at risk of collapsing," the NAO report said. "It also contains a great deal of out-of-date information, which can delay passenger processing if officers need to leave passport control to double-check entries. It will, for example, contain details of someone being refused entry to the UK but not state whether they have subsequently been granted permission to enter."
A Home Office spokesman denied the index was at risk of collapse but said extensive work was being done on it. "We have a programme involving a full rebuild of its central system," he said, adding that, in the experience of ministers, there was no reluctance among frontline staff to raise concerns. The immigration minister, Mark Harper, said he was pleased the NAO recognised the success of the border force in implementing full passenger checks while also reducing queue times.A Home Office spokesman denied the index was at risk of collapse but said extensive work was being done on it. "We have a programme involving a full rebuild of its central system," he said, adding that, in the experience of ministers, there was no reluctance among frontline staff to raise concerns. The immigration minister, Mark Harper, said he was pleased the NAO recognised the success of the border force in implementing full passenger checks while also reducing queue times.
"We inherited an organisation with significant challenges and, while some of these remain, I am confident that under the long-term leadership of the new director general, Sir Charles Montgomery, border force will continue to build on its many areas of excellence. We have recruited more border force staff; established command centres to deploy those staff more flexibly and effectively; and are reforming working practices," Harper said."We inherited an organisation with significant challenges and, while some of these remain, I am confident that under the long-term leadership of the new director general, Sir Charles Montgomery, border force will continue to build on its many areas of excellence. We have recruited more border force staff; established command centres to deploy those staff more flexibly and effectively; and are reforming working practices," Harper said.
The border force said: "Our top priority is security at the border and this extends to both passengers and goods. We deploy our staff flexibly to ensure that we have the right resources on both immigration controls and customs checks."The border force said: "Our top priority is security at the border and this extends to both passengers and goods. We deploy our staff flexibly to ensure that we have the right resources on both immigration controls and customs checks."
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