Oral Answers to Questions

Chris Law Excerpts

Thursday 23rd February 2017 Commons Chamber

[Peter Grant (Glenrothes) (SNP)]

9. What assessment he has made of the potential effect of the UK leaving the EU on inbound passengers at airports and ports across the UK.

[Chris Law (Dundee West) (SNP)]

10. What assessment he has made of the potential effect of the UK leaving the EU on inbound passengers at airports and ports across the UK.

[The Secretary of State for Transport (Chris Grayling)]

The Government are considering potential impacts on the border as part of our preparations for negotiating our departure from the EU. It is too soon to say what arrangements will be needed, but we are very conscious of the interest of the transport industry in future arrangements. We remain committed to putting passengers at the heart of our transport policy.

--- Later in debate ---

[Chris Grayling]

The hon. Gentleman will know that in recent years we have significantly increased automation at airports, with e-gates for passports, which provides a good way of balancing the need for effective border controls and the ability to live within our means.

[Chris Law]

Under service level agreements between the Government and UK airports, passengers from the European economic area are expected to queue for no longer than 25 minutes while those from outside that area are expected to queue for no longer for 45 minutes. Does the Secretary of State believe that those service level agreements will need to be revised post-Brexit?

[Chris Grayling]

I reiterate what the Prime Minister said recently: our desire post-Brexit is not to have long queues at our borders, but to have sensible arrangements that allow people to travel to do business, and controls on migration to the United Kingdom, which I think people voted for last year.