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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Brodie Clark 'surprised' at May fingerprint ignorance | Brodie Clark 'surprised' at May fingerprint ignorance |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Ex-UK border force head Brodie Clark says he is "surprised" ministers were unaware biometric fingerprint passport checks had been relaxed at Heathrow. | Ex-UK border force head Brodie Clark says he is "surprised" ministers were unaware biometric fingerprint passport checks had been relaxed at Heathrow. |
| Mr Clark was suspended after claims he eased passport checks at UK borders beyond what Home Secretary Theresa May had agreed to in a trial. | Mr Clark was suspended after claims he eased passport checks at UK borders beyond what Home Secretary Theresa May had agreed to in a trial. |
| But he told BBC Radio 4's Today that, with hindsight, he should have checked more thoroughly what Mrs May knew. | |
| Mr Clark has told MPs he did not ignore government policy. | Mr Clark has told MPs he did not ignore government policy. |
| Addressing MPs on the Commons Home Affairs Committee, Mr Clark said he was "no rogue officer". | Addressing MPs on the Commons Home Affairs Committee, Mr Clark said he was "no rogue officer". |
| MPs on the committee also questioned the UK Border Agency's Chief Executive, Rob Whiteman, who said Mr Clark dropped fingerprint checks without telling ministers, even though they had rejected such a move. | MPs on the committee also questioned the UK Border Agency's Chief Executive, Rob Whiteman, who said Mr Clark dropped fingerprint checks without telling ministers, even though they had rejected such a move. |
| Mr Clark stepped down after the relaxation of border checks was revealed, saying his position had been made "untenable". | Mr Clark stepped down after the relaxation of border checks was revealed, saying his position had been made "untenable". |
| Speaking to the Today programme, in his first interview since the scandal erupted, Mr Clark said he found out earlier this year that staff at the airport hadn't always carried out fingerprint checks when it was very busy. | Speaking to the Today programme, in his first interview since the scandal erupted, Mr Clark said he found out earlier this year that staff at the airport hadn't always carried out fingerprint checks when it was very busy. |
| Mr Clark said he thought that was a sensible practice - and he did not inform ministers. He told the programme he expected that Home Office ministers would have been briefed about reduced fingerprint checks but said he had no evidence that they did know. | Mr Clark said he thought that was a sensible practice - and he did not inform ministers. He told the programme he expected that Home Office ministers would have been briefed about reduced fingerprint checks but said he had no evidence that they did know. |
| "I'm surprised they didn't know that it was happening," he said. | "I'm surprised they didn't know that it was happening," he said. |
| Crucially, however, the former border chief admitted that he had "no evidence" that ministers knew fingerprint checks had been relaxed. | Crucially, however, the former border chief admitted that he had "no evidence" that ministers knew fingerprint checks had been relaxed. |
| Mrs May said she had not permitted scaling back fingerprint checks. | Mrs May said she had not permitted scaling back fingerprint checks. |
| But Mr Clark told the BBC such issues would have formed part of briefings to Mrs May when she came to office. | But Mr Clark told the BBC such issues would have formed part of briefings to Mrs May when she came to office. |
| He said the immigration minister, Damian Green, and the former security minister, Dame Pauline Neville-Jones, would also have been told about "practices and activities" at the border during "critical" times. | He said the immigration minister, Damian Green, and the former security minister, Dame Pauline Neville-Jones, would also have been told about "practices and activities" at the border during "critical" times. |
| BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw said: "The dispute between Brodie Clark and the Home Office now appears to centre on a narrow issue. | BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw said: "The dispute between Brodie Clark and the Home Office now appears to centre on a narrow issue. |
| "Were ministers aware that biometric fingerprint checks had been relaxed from the summer of 2010 onwards to ease pressure on ports and airports in the interests of health and safety?" | "Were ministers aware that biometric fingerprint checks had been relaxed from the summer of 2010 onwards to ease pressure on ports and airports in the interests of health and safety?" |
| Mrs May has said she authorised the relaxation of some checks on children from the European Economic Area (EEA) and some extra checks on EEA adults under "limited circumstances" at peak times - but claims Mr Clark allowed officials to go further, without ministerial approval. | Mrs May has said she authorised the relaxation of some checks on children from the European Economic Area (EEA) and some extra checks on EEA adults under "limited circumstances" at peak times - but claims Mr Clark allowed officials to go further, without ministerial approval. |
| Guidance dating back to 2007 does not permit the relaxation of fingerprint checks - indeed, they were not introduced until after it was written - and does not allow any reduction in checks for non-EEA nationals. | Guidance dating back to 2007 does not permit the relaxation of fingerprint checks - indeed, they were not introduced until after it was written - and does not allow any reduction in checks for non-EEA nationals. |
| The guidance does allow border staff to forgo checks on EEA passengers against the warnings index of terrorists and criminals when queues become dangerously long. | The guidance does allow border staff to forgo checks on EEA passengers against the warnings index of terrorists and criminals when queues become dangerously long. |
| Mrs May has announced three inquiries into what happened, the main one led by the Chief Inspector of the UK Border Agency, John Vine. | Mrs May has announced three inquiries into what happened, the main one led by the Chief Inspector of the UK Border Agency, John Vine. |
| Mr Clark is suing for constructive dismissal, accusing Mrs May of destroying his reputation by alleging that he eased border controls without her permission. | Mr Clark is suing for constructive dismissal, accusing Mrs May of destroying his reputation by alleging that he eased border controls without her permission. |