Asked by: Alyn Smith (Scottish National Party - Stirling)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her policy on checks at UK borders has changed since the UK left the EU on 31 January 2020.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
There will be no change to checks at the UK border for the duration of the transition period.
Asked by: Alyn Smith (Scottish National Party - Stirling)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance her Department provides to UK Border Force staff on when to initiate in-depth questioning of people arriving at airports who (a) hold and (b) do not hold a valid visa.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
Under Schedule 2 to the Immigration Act 1971, Border Force staff appointed as Immigration Officers may examine any person arriving in the UK to establish their nationality and if they are not UK nationals, determine whether they require leave to enter and on what terms this leave should be given.
If the passenger is in possession of an entry clearance or visa, officers may examine the passenger to establish whether the purpose of the visit remains the same as that specified; there has been a change in circumstances since that leave was given; false information or material deception was used to obtain the visa; or there are medical grounds that should result in the cancellation of the visa. The passenger may also be examined by an immigration officer for the purpose of determining whether it would be conducive to the public good for their entry clearance or leave to be cancelled.
Asked by: Alyn Smith (Scottish National Party - Stirling)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate her Department has made of the number of people holding a valid visa who were refused entry at airports in the last (a) month, (b) six months and (c)12 months.
Answered by Kevin Foster
Border Force does not routinely publish data that does not meet the Home Office standard for publication or that could impact its operational effectiveness.
However, Border Force transparency data can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/border-force-statistics
Border Force is committed to ensuring that passengers arriving in the UK receive an excellent service. But this must also be balanced with our responsibility to Border Security, checking 100% of passports and making sure that anyone or anything that might cause harm to the UK is properly dealt with.
Asked by: Alyn Smith (Scottish National Party - Stirling)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many EU citizens have been questioned at UK airports and ferry ports whilst holding valid passports in the last (a) 12 months, (b) six months and (c) month, excluding people of interest to law enforcement authorities.
Answered by Kevin Foster
Border Force does not routinely publish data that does not meet the Home Office standard for publication or that could impact its operational effectiveness.
However, Border Force transparency data can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/border-force-statistics
Border Force is committed to ensuring that passengers arriving in the UK receive an excellent service. But this must also be balanced with our responsibility to Border Security, checking 100% of passports and making sure that anyone or anything that might cause harm to the UK is properly dealt with.