The review by former Australian immigration minister Alexander Downer was commissioned by Home Affairs Minister Priti Patel to see how well the Border Force can respond to future challenges. It found the agency was performing at a “sub-optimal level” and was stretching its resources in an “unsustainable and highly inefficient manner”. Regarding small boats, the review states: “The overall approach to this problem in recent years has been ineffective and possibly counterproductive in preventing these voyages. “The Border Force Naval Command has been drawn into a challenge it is ill-equipped to meet and yet [is] consuming all.” It adds that the resources needed are “unsustainable” and its vessels were not designed to conduct search and rescue operations. The review says “the problem of illegal entry by small boats is not solvable in the Channel with a Border Force” and “a whole system approach is needed”. It suggests the “new immigration plan” could help tackle the issue “although some challenges and risks remain”. Long queues at Heathrow have been identified as a “significant” problem. The review says these queues “undermine every effort to serve customers” and are “the visible manifestation of more systemic issues, many of which apply to the Border Force as a whole”. Downer’s review states: “Overall, my impression of the Border Force is of an under-performing organisation. He seems to be struggling to break out of a cycle of crisis management, reacting to the last challenge and preparing for the next, no matter how predictable the next challenge might be. “While the Border Force largely delivers what is required of it on a day-to-day basis, it does so by stretching its resources in an unsustainable and highly inefficient way.” The review comes as the Border Force faces “extraordinary challenges”, including people coming to the UK illegally on small boats, immigration abuse, illegal drugs, firearms and organized crime, along with the need to protect national security. He added: “There is little capacity for strategic planning or workforce development. The Border Force’s inability to plan effectively is further affected by failures to deliver functions such as recruitment and procurement. “Steps should be taken to address the administrative issues that continue to distract the agency so it can focus on its core mission.” Improvements are needed to make it an attractive employer, the review says, including a clear identity to be a single, unified workforce underpinned by a training academy and a career path to professionalise the role of Border Force officer. There is also a call for better leadership of the system from the Home Office and other parts of the government the service provides for, to give the agency a clear mandate, priorities and objectives, and says there needs to be a stronger voice for the Border Force within of the Home Office, along with increased accountability. Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper described the review as “incredibly damning” as it showed the agency was “stuck in a cycle of crisis management and failing to deliver the basics”. He said: “It shows how Priti Patel has completely failed to understand Britain’s borders or make sure the right systems are in place.” Subscribe to First Edition, our free daily newsletter – every morning at 7am. BST The Home Office also announced plans to revolutionize the way immigration checks are carried out, with a pilot of a ‘contactless’ digital border within two years. Trials are to begin with technology that will allow some passengers to enter the UK and undergo automated border control without going through an eGate or speaking to a Border Force officer. Passengers will be pre-screened and identified at the border in a move the department hopes will speed up legal travel to the UK. Patel says the goal is to ensure the border is “fit for the 21st century” and allows travelers to obtain visas and cross easily while maintaining national security. He said: “I am also committed to ensuring that our fantastic Border Force has access to the latest automation technologies so they can use their specialist skills to protect our borders from those who want to harm the UK.”
