Select committee inquiry

Brexit and the borders inquiry

Closed

Public Accounts Committee · Opened 3 November 2017 · Closed 3 November 2017

What the inquiry looked at

“With the UK scheduled to leave the European Union in March 2019, arrangements around the enforcement of the UK border may change. This will include people entering and exiting the country at ports and airports. It will also affect the handling of imports and exports. There are currently more than 270 recognised crossing points on the UK border, from the biggest airports down to local marinas. In 2016, more than 271 million people crossed the border by air, with an additional 22 million crossing by sea and 21 million by train. Meanwhile over 95% of freight—some 472 million tonnes—arrives at the UK border by sea each year. HM Revenue and Customs collects about £34 billion in VAT and customs duties at the border each year. Exactly how these arrangements will change once the UK has left the European Union is not certain. The National Audit Office estimates that the number of decisions about permitting people or goods to cross the border could increase by 230% and 360% respectively. The UK government will also have to consider which international arrangements it wishes to comply with, and be prepared for any changes to these The Public Accounts Committee will hear evidence from the Home Office, UK Border Force, HM Revenue and Customs, and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to ask about how Government is preparing for any changes to border operations, and how well Whitehall is working together to ensure smooth implementation of new arrangements.”

The committee's words, from the inquiry page on parliament.uk ↗.

What it found

In the committee's words, from the summary of 7th Report - Brexit and the UK border ↗

Government departments are assuming that the risks to managing the border will not change immediately when the UK leaves the EU, and that border checks will therefore be the same after March 2019 as they were before. They are therefore not planning for any major new physical infrastructure at the border by March 2019, and do not expect all new or updated IT systems to be ready by that date. Departments say they are planning for a no-deal scenario, but do not expect there to be many changes whatever the position in March 2019. We are very concerned that their assumptions are risky and do not allow for changes in behaviours by companies trading across the border or people crossing it.

Particularly in the event of a no-deal scenario, the border could be exposed to risks on day 1 of the UK’s departure. Officials are relying too much on there being a transitional period in order to have the time to develop the new systems and infrastructure that may be required. The current negotiations bring significant uncertainty, but the new Border Planning Group (the Group) and government departments need to step up and be prepared for the possibility of a no-deal scenario and for the costs of all potential options. It is worrying that we were told that the Group could not plan for any challenges around the Irish border and the 300 crossing points, as it needed the political process to go further before it could fully understand the issue.

What the government said

No government response is linked to this report.

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How the inquiry ran

Each dot is a dated item listed on this page, from the inquiry's opening on 3 November 2017 to 28 March 2018.

Oral evidence 20 Nov 2017
Report 8 Dec 2017
Correspondence 2 letters
Nov 20172018Mar 2018

What it recommended

The committee's recommendations are not listed here yet. Read them in 7th Report - Brexit and the UK border ↗ on parliament.uk.