Green made the comment during a speech in which he outlined how the new Border Force will operate following its separation from the UK Border Agency.
Speaking at the Royal United Services Institute, the immigration minister said there will be “clear rules into the correct level of checks” for every type of passenger and all types of goods that cross the UK border.
In addition, the e-Borders system will be rolled out even further to cover 100% of non-EEA flights by next month.
The e-Borders programme collects and analyses information on passengers and crew intending to travel to or from the UK before they travel.
The minister commented: “A safe and secure border means not just better immigration control but also safer streets and more secure citizens. There can be no compromises on border security. In a dangerous world, our border is one of our main protections.”
In 2011, 2.6 million UK visa applications were made and there were around 200 million passenger journeys across UK borders. Five hundred million tonnes of freight passed through our seaports.
Green added: “e-Borders combined with our strict visa regime means that all non-EEA arriving from outside Europe will have been checked once, and many twice while they are still thousands of miles from our passport controls. That means better protection than ever before and a stronger border.”
‘Challenge it, report it, stop it’: fight against hate crime launched
A plan to crackdown on the hatred that ruins people’s lives was also launched today.
At a policing conference in Birmingham, equalities minister Lynne Featherstone unveiled a cross-Government action plan designed to tackle hate crime.
Under the banner of ‘Challenge it, report it, stop it’, the plan outlines how the Government will support local areas in tackling the problem, and highlights the need to provide more support to victims and give them the confidence to come forward and report incidents.
The plan focuses on three key themes:
Featherstone – who’s also the minister tasked with looking after the Security Industry Authority – explained: “Hate crime has devastating consequences for victims and their families, and also divides communities. We must all stand up and confront this despicable behaviour.”
Rightly, the minister stated that hate crime is unacceptable in a civilised society, and said: “We owe it to victims and their families to carry on the fight against hatred.”
The Government’s plan covers a range of issues from tackling school bullying and challenging negative stereotypes through to addressing racial, religious, disability, homophobic and transgender hate crimes.
It also covers improving data, sharing good practice among local areas and issuing new guidance for police officers.
