Home secretary considers relaxing passport control

The Home Secretary is considering relaxing passport controls to ease serious queues at Britain"s borders.


More than 500,000 people were allowed into Britain unchecked last year in a breach of defences, leading to Brodie Clark, former head of the UK Border Force losing his job last November.


But during crisis talks with airlines, Theresa May has said she is ready to consider introducing "risk-based" controls as part of a long-term solution to delays at airports, reports the Telegraph.


Airlines met the Home Secretary yesterday to discuss their concerns over the queues at Heathrow and to address how the immigration system will cope during the Olympics and beyond.


Controls will come under even greater strain next Thursday when Border Agency unions take part in a one-day strike.


Simon Buck, the chief executive of the British Air Transport Association, told the Telegraph: "We were told that for the longer term the Government will be looking at taking a balanced approach using technology and assessing risk as a factor in clearing passengers," he said.


"This is something we would welcome and want to engage with the Government to be part of developing this. We have invested in technology which allows you to take a risk-based approach."


This approach would allow officials to adopt a lighter touch for some passengers, such as parties of schoolchildren from members of the European Economic Area — the EU plus Liechtenstein, Iceland and Norway — and Switzerland.


By Diane Evans

Friday, May 4, 2012

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