Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the security arrangements under the Common Travel Agreement in preventing illegal immigration into the UK.

The Government is working with all members of the Common Travel Area (CTA) to prevent illegal immigration and maintain the security of the external CTA border. Home Office Ministers and Officials have regular contact with all CTA members and there continues to be excellent government and operational level co-operation on a joint programme of work which includes: investment in border procedures; increased data sharing to inform immigration and border security decisions; interoperable passenger data systems, including the collection and processing of Advance Passenger Information (API) on intra and extra CTA routes, and; harmonised visa policy and processes. In addition to this, Immigration Enforcement and Border Force conduct intelligence-led operations to identify and take action against individuals who are seeking to or have abused this travel arrangement.