Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Border Force employees were routinely employed at (a) Belfast, (b) Larne, (c) Foyle, and (d) Warrenpoint ports during 2025.

It is longstanding Home Office policy to not disclose port‑specific staffing information, as to do so could prejudice our law enforcement capabilities. Border Force operates a flexible resourcing model, regularly assessing operational needs and deploying staff dynamically in response to passenger volumes and security requirements.

As part of the Common Travel Area (CTA) arrangements, the UK does not operate routine immigration controls on individuals arriving in the UK by air or sea from within the CTA, and no immigration checks are undertaken at the land border with Ireland. The UK does, however, operate intelligence‑led operational activity on CTA routes—away from the land border. If an individual is suspected to be unlawfully in the UK, their biometrics may be checked in order to ascertain their identity and status.