Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he is taking steps to increase border security at aerodromes.

The Home Office’s priority is to deliver a safe and secure border and we will never compromise on this. Border Force maintain 100% checks for all scheduled arriving passengers into the UK. Border Force performs checks on passengers arriving at the UK border and risk-based intelligence led checks on goods, enabling interventions against those known or suspected to pose a risk to the national interest.

Border Force has reduced the number of aerodromes able to handle flights to and from the UK as of 1 January 2024. From 3135 aerodromes in GB, now only 16% are designated to facilitate international and CTA flights. This will continue to have a positive impact on Border Force operations. Routine work continues at aerodromes, enabling Border Force to carry out customs duties as laid out in CEMA (Customs & Excise Management Act).