Port of Dover: Border Controls

Opened the debate

The MP is concerned about the illegal entry of people, legal transit of people and goods, and dangerous food and goods entering through the Port of Dover. With over 35,000 small boat crossings, the MP argues that it is an organised criminal activity leading to loss of life. They also raise concerns about EU digital controls and lack of infrastructure readiness for entry-exit checks in December 2023. Furthermore, the mothballing of a port health facility has resulted in significant biosecurity risks including poisonous food and unsafe goods.

Government Response

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Ms Ali, and I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Dover (Mrs Elphicke) for securing today's debate. She has been a tremendous campaigner on this issue since her election, not just in her constituency but nationally. The Government announced that remaining import controls on EU goods will no longer be introduced this year, saving British businesses up to £1 billion in annual costs. The Government recognise the negative effect traffic build-up can have on residents of Kent and are committed to working with all relevant stakeholders and the Kent Resilience Forum to manage any disruption if it occurs. The entry-exit scheme has the potential to impact throughput at the port of Dover, minimising that is a priority shared by the port. We are already engaging with the French Government on this issue and will meet them again in November to look at progress implementation plans and ways of mitigating negative impacts. Officials have been working with Eurostar and French counterparts to agree plans for installing EES kiosks at St Pancras, despite major space constraints there too. The Department for Transport works closely with the Kent Resilience Forum to support it in managing disruption in Kent whenever it comes, including during the summer holidays when fewer than expected French border officials staffed controls and a serious road traffic accident caused the M20 to be closed for a prolonged period. We will publish a target operating model in the autumn setting out our new regime of border import controls with an introduction date targeted for the end of 2023. No decision has been made at this stage about the future of Dover sanitary and phytosanitary border control post sites. The Government are committed to investing in towns across the country, including providing £3.2 million for Dover town centre and waterfront through the future high streets fund. We will break the business model of people smugglers by putting in place a system where those arriving illegally will not have their asylum claim considered here, and that they will be removed to Rwanda or another safe country. Active consideration is being given to investment in the road network in Kent as part of the third road investment strategy with final decisions on schemes taken in the investment plan for 2024.