‘Exporting the border’? An inspection of e-Borders October 2012 – March 2013 John Vine CBE QPM Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration Our Purpose We provide independent scrutiny of the UK’s border and immigration functions to improve their efficiency and effectiveness. Our Vision To drive improvement within the UK’s border and immigration functions, to ensure they deliver fair, consistent and respectful services. All Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration inspection reports can be found at: www.independent.gov.uk/icinspector Email us:
[email protected] Write to us: Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration, 5th Floor, Globe House, 89 Eccleston Square, London, SW1V 1PN United Kingdom Contents FOREWORD 2 1. Executive Summary 3 2. Summary of Recommendations 7 3. The Inspection: In order to assist readers we have provided a summary of the key terms used in this report. 8 4. Background 11 5. Passenger Data 16 6. The National Border Targeting Centre 22 7. How e-Borders is used at ports of entry 32 8. Have the benefits of e-Borders been realised? 36 Appendix A – Inspection Framework and Criteria 45 Appendix B – Statutory Basis for e-Borders 46 Appendix C – Glossary 47 Acknowledgements 51 1 FOREWORD FROM JOHN VINE CBE QPM INDEPENDENT CHIEF INSPECTOR OF BORDERS AND IMMIGRATION The e-Borders programme has been in development for over a decade now, and has cost nearly half a billion pounds of public money, with many millions more to be invested over the coming years. The intention of e-borders was to ‘export the border’ by preventing passengers considered a threat to the UK from travelling, as well as delivering more efficient immigration control.