15/11/2011

May Day, As Teresa Reveals Rate Of Border Lax

The pilot scheme to reduce passport checks on some citizens of EU countries was used at 28 ports and airports as 10 million entered the country, according to a surprise announcement by the embattled Home Secretary.

The revelation was contained in a response to written questions from the Home Affairs select committee by Teresa May, which come just as Former UK Border Force Chief Brodie Clark, who resigned last week, faces questions by MPs this morning.

Mr Brodie is believed to be confident he can demonstrate that his department had not went further than instructed in relaxing border checks, as Ms May has claimed.

Labour's Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the response confirms that Government policy was to "routinely abandon EU biometric checks", rather than doing so in limited circumstances.

“This is not what she told Parliament in her statement on Monday, and it explains why the UK Border Agency went much further than the Prime Minister and her had previously said.

“This is immensely serious and the Home Secretary needs to be immediately publish the Home Office instructions to UKBA which resulted in this far more relaxed guidance being distributed to frontline border staff.”

(DW)

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