Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which database systems are the people who have arrived via small boat crossing checked against for (a) criminal and (b) counter-terrorism information; and how long does it take on average for full checks on people to be conducted and the full results received.

The Home Office checks all small boat arrivals against a range of secure systems. These include internal databases, law enforcement records, biometric verification platforms and immigration history systems.

Biometrics and biographic details taken are checked and compared against relevant Home Office systems and police criminality databases, including domestic and international data to establish whether the person is a threat to public safety.

Timings for the returns of results can vary, some systems provide instant access due to direct integration and others require third party intervention. Overall, we aim to receive results within 24-hours.

All security checks are completed before any individual is bailed from Manston.