Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information is provided to importers on the expected timeframe for inspection of their containers.

Border Force operates a risk‑based approach to container security, focusing resources on identifying and intervening against higher‑risk movements of goods rather than physically inspecting all shipping containers entering the UK.

The Home Office does not hold centrally aggregated or routinely collated data on:

• the number or proportion of shipping containers physically inspected;
• the duration of container examinations or their impact on port processing times; or
• Border Force staffing levels specifically dedicated to container examinations.

It is therefore not possible to provide figures for the last three years on inspections, inspection times, staffing, or breach rates.

Border Force uses a range of risk‑based targeting systems to identify containers for intervention. The primary system for risking shipping containers is the Advanced Freight Targeting Capability – Shipping Containers (AFTC‑SC) platform. This capability is supported by intelligence and information from across government, including law‑enforcement partners, international partners, and other relevant government and commercial sources.

Container screening is supported by non‑intrusive inspection technology, including high‑energy X‑ray imaging. Where containers are selected for further examination, Border Force officers may also deploy specialist capabilities, including detector dogs and technical detection equipment.

Border Force works closely with port operators and partner agencies to ensure that security interventions are delivered effectively while minimising disruption to legitimate trade. The Department keeps its approach under regular review to ensure that it remains proportionate and effective. The effectiveness of this intelligence‑led approach is reflected in publicly reported Border Force enforcement outcomes.