Home Affairs Committee hears about delays at passport control

As part of its ongoing scrutiny of the UK Border Agency and Border Force, the Home Affairs Committee will take evidence from Immigration Minister Damian Green MP and Rob Whiteman, Chief Executive of the UK Border Agency.

The Committee will also hear from representatives of airlines and Heathrow Airport, and from unions representing staff of the UK Border Agency and Border Force, about the reasons for the current problems at passport control.

This will be followed on 22 May by evidence from Brian Moore, Chief Executive of the new UK Border Force. The Home Affairs Committee’s last report on the UK Border Agency was published on 11 April.

Witnesses

Tuesday 15 May 2012 at 10.15 am in Committee Room 15

At 10.15am

Andrew Lord, Director of Operations, British Airways
Colin Matthews, Chief Executive, BAA
Corneel Koster, Director of Operations, Safety & Security, Virgin Atlantic

At 11.00am

Damian Green MP, Minister of State for Immigration, Home Office

At 11.45am

Public and Commercial Services Union
Immigration Services Union

At 12.15pm

Rob Whiteman, Chief Executive, UK Border Agency

Comment from the Chair

Committee Chair Rt Hon Keith Vaz MP said:

"The recent problems at passport control have once again called into question the effectiveness and efficiency of our border checks. These evidence sessions will give us an opportunity to hear from all the main participants - airlines, airports, management, staff and the Minister - so that the Committee can identify possible solutions.

It will also form part of our ongoing monitoring of the work of the UK Border Agency and Border Force, and we will be exploring some of the longer-term issues such as the return of foreign national prisoners, the asylum backlog and the 'controlled archive' of lost asylum applicants."