Tania Mathias – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tania Mathias on 2016-01-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to increase border security at ferry ports.

James Brokenshire

This Government has taken a number of steps to bolster the security of the border across different modes of transport, including ferry travel.

Border Force carries out 100 percent checks of all passengers and drivers arriving at all ferry ports against police, security and immigration watchlists. It works closely with the police and other law enforcement organisations to deliver effective and intelligence-led responses to a range of security threats. Officers use hi-tech equipment and an array of search techniques to combat immigration crime and detect banned and restricted goods – including drugs, firearms and tobacco – that smugglers attempt to bring into the country. Border Force has started to roll out its Advanced Freight Targeting Capability to ferry traffic. This will equip Border Force’s intelligence to target suspicious freight consignments arriving into the UK via ferries in a more effective and efficient fashion.

In 2015, Border Force connected to the European watch list system, SIS II. As a result of this step, Border Force has been able to access data pertaining to thousands of European Arrest Warrants, thus allowing more fugitives to be detained and arrested when they arrive at ferry ports and points of arrival in the UK.

Exit Check data on those leaving the UK has been collected from passengers on scheduled commercial international air, sea and rail routes from 8 April 2015 and this is already providing the police and security services with more information on the movements of known or suspected criminals, supporting the wider work already taking place across government and law enforcement.