Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what customs checks are performed at Dover Port on outgoing freight traffic; what the average time taken for such checks is per vehicle; what customs checks he plans to carry out in the event that the UK leaves the EU on 31 October 2019 without an agreement for (a) vehicles with no export documentation, (b) vehicles which have completed a customs declaration on the New Computerised Transit System and (c) vehicles operating under the Transports Internationaux Routiers Treaty and with a customs declaration made on the new transit system; and if he will make a statement

Times for customs checks at Dover will vary depending on the nature of the goods exported. Currently, customs checks are carried out on non-EU goods only which makes up a small proportion of Dover exports. Customs clearance is highly automated and, overall, around 96% of declarations are cleared within 20 seconds.

Border Force is responsible for customs matters at the border, which includes carrying out customs checks on exported goods and goods in transit. For Dover, the majority of customs checks are performed at inland sites away from the port, such as at Stop 24.

The Government has agreed an extension with the EU to the date of EU Exit to the end of October 2019 at the latest. However, the Government’s priority remains to leave, with a deal, as soon as possible.

As a responsible Government we have been working to minimise any disruption in the event of no deal for over 2 years. Due to the extension that has now been agreed, all departments will review their current plans and make appropriate decisions about the timing and pace at which some of this work is progressing. We will continue to prepare for all Brexit scenarios.