Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department has taken (a) to conduct an audit of positive results from the Warnings Index and Border Crossings systems during industrial action taken by members of the PCS Union in December 2022 and (b) to ascertain how many positive results were deemed to be a breach of the Border Force operating mandate during this same period; and if she will make a statement.

The Home Office’s priority is to deliver a safe and secure border and we will never compromise on this including during any period of Industrial Action. Border Force maintain 100% of the checks for all scheduled arriving passengers into the UK during periods of industrial action and this will be continued during any future periods of strike action.

Border Force’s robust contingency plans keep our citizens safe and our borders secure. Non-striking Border Force staff, with the full range of appropriate powers, are continuing to complete their vital roles, including stopping and detaining passengers where appropriate, supported by military personnel and civil servant volunteers.

Border Force has a national assurance framework that is designed to ensure adherence to policy and guidance and identify any inconsistency in practice or process across all operational areas.