Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the July 2020 Command Paper entitled UK Points Based System Further Details, CP 258, what assessment she has made of the implications for her proposals on no routine immigration controls on journeys from within the Common Travel area to the UK and no immigration controls on the Northern Ireland - Ireland land border of her policy on a universal permission to travel requiring everyone wishing to travel to the UK excluding British and Irish nationals to seek permission in advance of travel via a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation.

The Universal Permission to Travel requirement will require everyone wishing to travel to the UK (except British and Irish citizens) to seek permission in advance of travel. We will introduce Electronic Travel Authorisations (ETAs) for visitors and passengers transiting through the UK who do not currently need a visa for short stays or who do not already have an immigration status prior to travelling, which will act as their permission.

As now, the UK will not operate routine immigration controls on journeys from within the Common Travel Area, with no immigration controls whatsoever on the Republic of Ireland-Northern Ireland land border. However, individuals arriving in the UK must continue to enter in line with the UK’s immigration framework including the Universal Permission to Travel requirement.

The CTA has never required the UK and Ireland to have entirely harmonised immigration arrangements for non-British or non-Irish citizens. Key to this is the high level of cooperation on border security to ensure that legitimate travel is facilitated while those who intend to abuse the arrangements are prevented from entering.