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Immigration minister to give evidence in UK borders row Helen Ghosh: Extra border relaxation 'never mentioned'
(about 11 hours later)
Immigration Minister Damian Green will give evidence later to MPs investigating the relaxation of controls at UK borders. The Home Office's top civil servant has told MPs Brodie Clark never mentioned the extra checks he dropped in his reports on an approved pilot scheme.
The Home Affairs Select Committee will also hear from Dame Helen Ghosh, Permanent Secretary at the Home Office. It was "disingenuous" for the ex-border force chief to say he was covered by rules allowing checks to be eased for safety reasons, Dame Helen Ghosh said.
It is looking into claims that former UK border force head Brodie Clark eased passport checks beyond changes agreed by the home secretary in a trial. The home affairs committee is probing claims passport checks were eased further than agreed by Theresa May.
Mr Clark told the committee last week he had not ignored government policy.Mr Clark told the committee last week he had not ignored government policy.
Home Secretary Theresa 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, as part of a pilot project.Home Secretary Theresa 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, as part of a pilot project.
But she claims Mr Clark allowed officials to go further, relaxing fingerprint checks on non-EEA nationals without ministerial approval.But she claims Mr Clark allowed officials to go further, relaxing fingerprint checks on non-EEA nationals without ministerial approval.
Mr Clark was suspended following the allegations and later resigned, saying his position had been made untenable by Mrs May's statements.Mr Clark was suspended following the allegations and later resigned, saying his position had been made untenable by Mrs May's statements.
GuidelinesGuidelines
Last week, Mr Clark told the committee he believed the decision by staff at Heathrow to relax fingerprint checks at particularly busy times was a sensible one and he did not stop it.Last week, Mr Clark told the committee he believed the decision by staff at Heathrow to relax fingerprint checks at particularly busy times was a sensible one and he did not stop it.
He admitted he did not inform ministers about it, despite knowing the home secretary had rejected the possibility of relaxing those same checks as part of the pilot scheme.He admitted he did not inform ministers about it, despite knowing the home secretary had rejected the possibility of relaxing those same checks as part of the pilot scheme.
He said he believed the Immigration Minister Damian Green and the former security minister, Dame Pauline Neville-Jones, would have been told about "practices and activities" at the border during "critical" times.He said he believed the Immigration Minister Damian Green and the former security minister, Dame Pauline Neville-Jones, would have been told about "practices and activities" at the border during "critical" times.
Mr Clark said guidelines written in 2007 allowed for the relaxation of some checks at busy times.Mr Clark said guidelines written in 2007 allowed for the relaxation of some checks at busy times.
However, the guidelines do not mention fingerprint checks and do not allow the foregoing of any checks on non-EEA nationals.However, the guidelines do not mention fingerprint checks and do not allow the foregoing of any checks on non-EEA nationals.
Mr Green has told the House of Commons he did not authorise any extension of the pilot project beyond the terms agreed by Mrs May.Mr Green has told the House of Commons he did not authorise any extension of the pilot project beyond the terms agreed by Mrs May.
The committee also heard last week from Rob Whiteman, the chief executive of the UK Border Agency - of which the border force is a part, whose decision it was to suspend Mr Clark.The committee also heard last week from Rob Whiteman, the chief executive of the UK Border Agency - of which the border force is a part, whose decision it was to suspend Mr Clark.
Mr Whiteman said the possibility of Mr Clark retiring rather than facing an internal investigation had been raised.Mr Whiteman said the possibility of Mr Clark retiring rather than facing an internal investigation had been raised.
But he said Permanent Secretary Dame Helen Ghosh had intervened and ruled that retirement with a pay-off would not be appropriate given there was a potential disciplinary matter involved. But he said Home Office permanent secretary Dame Helen Ghosh had intervened and ruled that retirement with a pay-off would not be appropriate given there was a potential disciplinary matter involved.
Following last week's session, the committee's chairman, Keith Vaz, said it remained "concerned by the contradictory information that it has received so far". Dame Helen was asked about the retirement discussion by MPs, telling them that she had objected to the idea of Mr Clark being given "enhanced retirement" package.
"The integrity of our borders is of the utmost importance. We are determined to find out the facts surrounding the events at the UK Border Agency this summer and have written to the home secretary with further questions." This was because she thought it "was wrong" given that he had been suspended on the basis of claims that could amount to gross misconduct.
She said had no power to stop Mr Clark retiring with standard provisions, she said, adding that there had been no pressure from the Home Secretary, Theresa May.