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Written question asked by Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party) on Friday, 27 February 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 4 March 2026 (named day). It was answered by Mike Tapp (Labour) on Wednesday, 4 March 2026 on behalf of the Home Office.

UK Border Force: Northern Ireland

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Border Force employees were routinely employed at (a) Belfast, (b) Larne, (c) Foyle, and (d) Warrenpoint ports during 2025.

Answer

It is longstanding Home Office policy to not disclose port‑specific staffing information, as to do so could prejudice our law enforcement capabilities. Border Force operates a flexible resourcing model, regularly assessing operational needs and deploying staff dynamically in response to passenger volumes and security requirements.

As part of the Common Travel Area (CTA) arrangements, the UK does not operate routine immigration controls on individuals arriving in the UK by air or sea from within the CTA, and no immigration checks are undertaken at the land border with Ireland. The UK does, however, operate intelligence‑led operational activity on CTA routes—away from the land border. If an individual is suspected to be unlawfully in the UK, their biometrics may be checked in order to ascertain their identity and status.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
116450
Session
2024-26
Subjects
Northern Ireland Ports UK Border Force
Contains statistics
Yes
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk