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Brodie Clark report expected to criticise ministers and border officials Brodie Clark report expected to criticise ministers and border officials
(40 minutes later)
The official inquiry report into the Brodie Clark affair, which is to be published on Monday afternoon, is expected to be critical of the role of ministers and senior UK Border Agency (UKBA) officials. The official inquiry report into the Brodie Clark affair, which is to be published on Monday afternoon, is expected to be critical of the role of ministers and senior UK Border Agency officials.
The report by John Vine, the external chief inspector of immigration, is into the row last autumn which led to the head of the UK border force, Brodie Clark, quitting after he was accused of acting as a "rogue civil servant" by adopting "lighter touch" passport checks at Britain's airports and ports without clear ministerial authorisation. The report by John Vine, the external chief inspector of immigration, is into the row last autumn which led to the then head of the UK border force, Brodie Clark, quitting after he was accused of acting as a "rogue civil servant" by adopting "lighter touch" passport checks at Britain's airports and ports without clear ministerial authorisation.
The home secretary, Theresa May, is expected to make a Commons statement on the Vine report at 3.30pm on Monday. It was delivered to May on 7 February and the Home Office and UKBA have been preparing their response over the past fortnight. The home secretary, Theresa May, is expected to make a Commons statement on the Vine report at 3.30pm on Monday. It was delivered to May on 7 February, and the Home Office and UKBA have been preparing their response over the past fortnight.
The Vine report is the first to be published in which the inquiry team has had access to all the official paperwork and emails and is said to be fairly damning of the role of ministers and senior UKBA officials.The Vine report is the first to be published in which the inquiry team has had access to all the official paperwork and emails and is said to be fairly damning of the role of ministers and senior UKBA officials.
It follows a report by the Commons home affairs select committee, which, although denied access to the papers, concluded that there was "a highly troubling" lack of supervision and failures in communication which led to passport controls being lifted far too frequently.It follows a report by the Commons home affairs select committee, which, although denied access to the papers, concluded that there was "a highly troubling" lack of supervision and failures in communication which led to passport controls being lifted far too frequently.
The MPs said they were shocked to discover that security checks had been waived almost 100 times at Calais and at least 50 times between May and July last summer at Heathrow and other airports. The given reasons included health and safety, avoiding excessive queues in arrivals halls and baggage crises, and potential delays in flight schedules.The MPs said they were shocked to discover that security checks had been waived almost 100 times at Calais and at least 50 times between May and July last summer at Heathrow and other airports. The given reasons included health and safety, avoiding excessive queues in arrivals halls and baggage crises, and potential delays in flight schedules.
Brodie Clark was forced to quit as head of the UK border force after an almost 40-year career in prisons and immigration after he was accused by the home secretary of going beyond an agreed package of measures to cope with passport queues at Heathrow and other ports. He has launched a £135,000 constructive dismissal claim against the Home Office. Clark was forced to quit as head of the UK border force after an almost 40-year career in prisons and immigration after he was accused by the home secretary of going beyond an agreed package of measures to cope with passport queues at Heathrow and other airports as well as port. He has launched a £135,000 constructive dismissal claim against the Home Office.
The internal investigations into the Brodie Clark affair were last week blamed by the British Airports Authority for delaying the introduction of a £8m "e-gates" scheme at Heathrow's five terminals. The e-gates would allow registered non-EU nationals to pass through electronic immigration controls. The internal investigations into the affair were last week blamed by the British Airports Authority for delaying the introduction of a £8m "e-gates" scheme at Heathrow's five terminals. The e-gates would allow registered non-EU nationals to pass through electronic immigration controls.
The UKBA said last week that its Iris eye-scanner programme had been halted at Birmingham and Manchester airports but was still open at Heathrow and Gatwick. The immigration authorities say they want to rely on fingerprints and photographs rather than eye scans to conduct electronic passport checks. The e-gates were supposed to succeed the Iris channels.The UKBA said last week that its Iris eye-scanner programme had been halted at Birmingham and Manchester airports but was still open at Heathrow and Gatwick. The immigration authorities say they want to rely on fingerprints and photographs rather than eye scans to conduct electronic passport checks. The e-gates were supposed to succeed the Iris channels.