Watchdog warns of 360% increase in customs declarations post-Brexit

THE number of decisions faced by immigration officials may increase by 230% and customs declarations could soar by 360% after Brexit, the official spending watchdog has warned.

Ministers must plan and take action to ensure the operation of the UK border is effective by the time the UK breaks away from the European Union in March 2019, but the National Audit Office (NAO) said in some areas there was reliance on “outdated technology” and manual processes.

The NAO’s analysis led the chairwoman of the influential Commons Public Accounts Committee to say it is “difficult to see” how the Government will be able to deliver the necessary changes in time.

In a review of the way the border is managed, the NAO acknowledged there had been improvements in some services and the way the Government was using data. But “the Government still uses outdated technology, some border processes remain manual and there are significant gaps in data”, along with difficulties in recruiting, retaining and deploying staff.

On top of existing challenges, the difficulties posed by Brexit could lead to a major increase in workload, depending on the outcome of the negotiations in Brussels.

If the existing entry regime for non-European Economic Area nationals is extended to all EEA arrivals, UK Visas and Immigration will need to make 230% more decisions a year based on the 2016 figures;

if customs declarations are required for trade between the UK and EU, the total number could increase by 360%, from the 55 million currently made on non-EU trade to 255 million; and

the need to carry out biosecurity and standards checks on livestock, food and other goods could add to officials’ workload.

The report said: “We know that EU exit may bring complex new challenges. The number of decisions that have to be made over whether to permit people and goods to cross the border could increase significantly.”