Speeches

Ruth Smeeth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ruth Smeeth on 2016-04-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on whether any failure of IT systems on UK-based airlines led to passenger flight lists not being cross-referenced with her Department’s (a) no fly list and (b) other relevant information in the last 12 months.

James Brokenshire

The Government works closely with all carriers, not just British registered carriers, to connect their systems to the Government’s border systems to ensure those connections are operating properly and to ensure that any IT problems are identified and resolved. Should any circumstance arise where a carrier should have refused authority to carry an individual to the UK, that individual will be met on arrival. Border Force also conducts 100% checks at passport control on all passengers arriving in the UK by commercial air, rail or maritime services at passport controls. This includes screening against watch lists.