Airport security to improve with new Boarders Agency
03.04.08
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith officially launched the new UK Border Agency (UKBA) today, pledging to deport more foreign national prisoners and seize record amounts of Class A drugs. She launched the merged customs and immigration operations at Gatwick Airport.
The new agency merges 25,000 Immigration Agency, HM Revenue and Customs and UK Visa staff spread over 135 countries. It will focus on combating smuggling, immigration crime and border tax fraud. Ms Smith said the new agency's ability to use all the powers of the organisations it was merging would strengthen the country's borders.
A £1 billion electronic border system will be rolled out by the UKBA this year, which will allow immigration, customs and police checks against visitors to the UK. Until then, the new agency's envisaged integrated border system will only been implemented in a handful of airports across the country.
Ms Smith said the UKBA has committed itself to expelling 5000 foreign national prisoners from Britain, up from 4200 last year, and increasing the number of 'immigration cheats and criminals' removed from the country year-on-year. It will also aim to sustain last year's 20% increase in Class A drug seizures, confiscating at least 2400 kilograms of cocaine and 550 kilograms of heroin by April 2009.
Ms Smith said: ‘The creation of the UK Border Agency and the targets we have set shows the Government's commitment to keeping the UK border secure. This new agency will work both in the UK and across the globe to tackle smuggling of goods and people to the UK.’
The Conservatives criticised the Government for failing to include police in the newly-merged organisation. A spokesman said that they would create a fully-merged border force, including police, to improve security.
Add to: del.icio.us | Digg it | Newsvine | NowPublic | Reddit
To book gatwick airport hotels or gatwick airport parking at the lowest price, click on these links to two great gatwick airport parking and gatwick airport hotels price comparison pages.
