| Author (Corporate) | United Kingdom: House of Commons: Home Affairs Committee |
|---|---|
| Publisher | United Kingdom: Parliament |
| Series Title | 1st Report |
| Series Details | (2017-19) HC540 |
| Publication Date | 16/11/2017 |
| Content Type | Policy-making, Report |
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Further information + Maintaining operational status quo The Committee specifically warns of the risks if no deal is secured, which would result in customs in the UK experiencing a huge amount of change in a very short time, with a vast increase required in capacity and processes at the border. + Delays and traffic jams at ports The report warned that rapid changes and a failure to plan could see the UK facing delays and traffic jams at ports similar to those experienced in July 2015 when French ferry operators went on strike and Operation Stack was implemented to ease major problems. It warned that any change to customs arrangements after March 2019 would require similar investment and planning at the EU side of the border - especially in France, Belgium and Ireland or there would be serious delays for UK exports. The Committee raised concerns that a 4% increase in Border Force staff was too small as they carried out customs checks in many ports. The report warned of the risk of Border Force being diverted from security and immigration checks into customs checks and emphasised that security must not be put at risk by government failure to plan. The Committee welcomed proposals to use the approved operators scheme but called for action to accredit more businesses now. + Insufficient contingency planning The Committee warned that insufficient contingency planning had been done for Britain leaving the EU with no deal. The report called on the Government to publish detailed plans on the impact on Britain’s customs arrangements of all potential outcomes of the Brexit negotiations, including a no deal. This should provide detail on additional staffing required, additional infrastructure, the new processes for business, and set out the costs of these plans. + Lack of coordination across government The Committee criticises the lack of coordination across government, who were unable to specify which single Minister was responsible for border planning. The report called on the Government to act and put in place a lead Minister to oversee this substantial body of work.The Home Affairs Committee of the House of Commons in the United Kingdom published a report called Home Office delivery of Brexit: customs operations on the 16 November 2017. In its report, the Home Affairs Committee raised serious concerns about the UK Government’s contingency planning for post-Brexit customs operations and warned major border disruption could ensue unless urgent action is taken. Note that in the same week the Public Accounts Committee of the House of Commons had published a related report with similar concerns called Brexit and the future of Customs. |
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| Source Link | https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmselect/cmhaff/540/540.pdf |
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| Subject Categories | Internal Markets |
| Countries / Regions | United Kingdom |
