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Labour accuses Tories of breaking pledge over passport exit checks Labour accuses Tories of breaking pledge over passport exit checks
(about 1 hour later)
Labour has accused the Conservatives of breaking a coalition pledge by delaying the introduction of full 100% passport exit checks until after the general election in order to avoid traffic chaos hitting Dover and other Channel ports.Labour has accused the Conservatives of breaking a coalition pledge by delaying the introduction of full 100% passport exit checks until after the general election in order to avoid traffic chaos hitting Dover and other Channel ports.
The shadow home secretary, Yvette Cooper, said: “David Cameron and Theresa May have spent four years – and millions of pounds – trying to introduce exit checks. And yet today this new system will only allow for partial checks because they haven’t got the work done with the operators in time, and they still won’t be able to use the information to check who has left and who has overstayed their visa.”The shadow home secretary, Yvette Cooper, said: “David Cameron and Theresa May have spent four years – and millions of pounds – trying to introduce exit checks. And yet today this new system will only allow for partial checks because they haven’t got the work done with the operators in time, and they still won’t be able to use the information to check who has left and who has overstayed their visa.”
A decision to phase in the passport checks over the next three months in the face of predicted five-mile tailbacks meant the first day of the checks on Wednesday began smoothly at Dover and the Eurotunnel terminal at Folkestone.A decision to phase in the passport checks over the next three months in the face of predicted five-mile tailbacks meant the first day of the checks on Wednesday began smoothly at Dover and the Eurotunnel terminal at Folkestone.
A P&O Ferries spokesperson at Dover said on Wednesday: “Everything is running smoothly and there are no delays.”A P&O Ferries spokesperson at Dover said on Wednesday: “Everything is running smoothly and there are no delays.”
The decision to phase in the checks for coach passengers – who posed the biggest problem for Eurotunnel and the ferry companies – was taken only at the last minute by the home secretary, Theresa May, who has repeatedly assured MPs that the deadline would be met.The decision to phase in the checks for coach passengers – who posed the biggest problem for Eurotunnel and the ferry companies – was taken only at the last minute by the home secretary, Theresa May, who has repeatedly assured MPs that the deadline would be met.
The original date for the introduction of 100% exit checks on the 100 million passengers who leave Britain each year by air, sea or rail had been set for 1 April, but ministers delayed their introduction fearing travel chaos over the Easter bank holiday. They also decided to exempt all coach parties of schoolchildren under 16 from the checks. Advanced passenger data is already provided by 95% of airline passengers leaving Britain enabling exit checks to take place automatically.The original date for the introduction of 100% exit checks on the 100 million passengers who leave Britain each year by air, sea or rail had been set for 1 April, but ministers delayed their introduction fearing travel chaos over the Easter bank holiday. They also decided to exempt all coach parties of schoolchildren under 16 from the checks. Advanced passenger data is already provided by 95% of airline passengers leaving Britain enabling exit checks to take place automatically.
They then sent further guidance to the transport companies last week telling them to initially check only a 25% sample of coach parties and 25% of cars containing only European passengers on cross-Channel routes. The intention is to conduct 100% checks on these passengers by June.They then sent further guidance to the transport companies last week telling them to initially check only a 25% sample of coach parties and 25% of cars containing only European passengers on cross-Channel routes. The intention is to conduct 100% checks on these passengers by June.
Cooper said: “The government have spent years in delays, foot-dragging and contractual wrangling and now there are still far too many gaps in our border checks. A Labour government will bring in stronger border controls including a full system of exit checks, to count people in and out of the country as well as 1,000 more border staff so we can tackle illegal immigration and make sure visas are enforced.”Cooper said: “The government have spent years in delays, foot-dragging and contractual wrangling and now there are still far too many gaps in our border checks. A Labour government will bring in stronger border controls including a full system of exit checks, to count people in and out of the country as well as 1,000 more border staff so we can tackle illegal immigration and make sure visas are enforced.”
Eurotunnel has said that they have taken on 50 new staff and spent £2.5m preparing for the checks but still fear that they will have queues of up to 1,000 coach passengers an hour in their four-lane ‘coach hall’ at the Folkestone terminal. Coach passengers facing checks will have to get off their coaches to have their passports individually scanned while it is expected most car passengers will have provided their passenger data in advance. Eurotunnel has said it has taken on 50 new staff and spent £2.5m preparing for the checks but still fears queues of up to 1,000 coach passengers an hour in its four-lane ‘coach hall’ at the Folkestone terminal. Coach passengers facing checks will have to get off their coaches to have their passports individually scanned while it is expected most car passengers will have provided their passenger data in advance.
The decision not to enforce 100% exit checks at the Channel ports contrasts with the home secretary’s decision to suspend Brodie Clark, the head of the UK Border Force, after passport checks on European passengers at Heathrow airport were selectively applied to avoid lengthy queues building up.The decision not to enforce 100% exit checks at the Channel ports contrasts with the home secretary’s decision to suspend Brodie Clark, the head of the UK Border Force, after passport checks on European passengers at Heathrow airport were selectively applied to avoid lengthy queues building up.
A Home Office spokesman has confirmed the phased introduction of the exit checks from Wednesday: “Due to the different environments and scale of operations at ports, delivery approaches will vary,” he said. “The Home Office has worked with carriers and ports to allow them to introduce exit checks in a way that aligns with their existing systems, including taking a phased approach at some ports to help minimise the impact on customers and on port operations.”A Home Office spokesman has confirmed the phased introduction of the exit checks from Wednesday: “Due to the different environments and scale of operations at ports, delivery approaches will vary,” he said. “The Home Office has worked with carriers and ports to allow them to introduce exit checks in a way that aligns with their existing systems, including taking a phased approach at some ports to help minimise the impact on customers and on port operations.”
The immigration minister, James Brokenshire, said on Wednesday: “Exit checks introduced at ports today will provide vital information to confirm a person’s exit from the UK and help combat visa abuse. Exit checks will provide a clearer picture of who is leaving the UK and who is staying in this country when they have no right to be here.”The immigration minister, James Brokenshire, said on Wednesday: “Exit checks introduced at ports today will provide vital information to confirm a person’s exit from the UK and help combat visa abuse. Exit checks will provide a clearer picture of who is leaving the UK and who is staying in this country when they have no right to be here.”