Consultation outcome

2025 UK Border Strategy Public Consultation

Published 22 July 2020

  • This consultation begins on 22 July 2020
  • This consultation ends at 23.55 on 28 August 2020
  • A consultation produced by the Cabinet Office.

About this consultation

1. To:

This consultation seeks the views and expertise of stakeholders to help develop the 2025 UK Border Strategy and ensure that the Government and industry are able to work in partnership together to deliver a world class border.

We would welcome responses from:

  • the border industry and its representative bodies
  • logistics firms and those who support others to move goods through cross-border supply chains
  • UK or international businesses, both small and large, who trade across the UK border or who are considering doing so
  • organisations who depend upon the movement of goods or people across the UK border
  • groups representing commercial and leisure travellers
  • experts on border processes, procedures and technology

We are not seeking views from individual travellers who move across the border for leisure or business, but welcome responses from groups representing them.

We are keen to hear from stakeholders in all parts of the UK.

2. Duration:

From 22/07/2020 to 28/08/2020

3. Enquiries (including requests for the paper in an alternative format) to:

Long Term Border Strategy Team Border and Protocol Delivery Group.

Email: 2025borderstrategy@hmrc.gov.uk

4. How to respond:

Responses can be made online through our consultation portal.

Responses should be submitted by 11.55pm 28 August 2020. When responding, please specify who you are responding on behalf of and that you have their agreement.

Alternatively, if you are unable to access the consultation platform and need to respond through an alternative format, please get in touch with the team where we will provide the form required.

5. Response paper:

A response to this consultation exercise is due to be published in the form of a 2025 UK Border Strategy at the end of the year.

6. Ministerial Foreword

When the transition period with the European Union concludes at the end of this year, we will leave the Single Market and Customs Union and embark on a new chapter for this country as a fully independent and sovereign United Kingdom.

In full control of our border for the first time in decades, we will be free to design how it operates in order to deliver the greatest benefit for the UK.

New technology will allow us to monitor with greater precision the movement of people and goods, enabling us to reduce the burden on traders and help UK businesses take advantage of new trading relationships with the rest of the world, deal more effectively with criminal activity and keep citizens and the country safer.

On 13 July, we published the Border Operating Model setting out in detail the phased introduction of new customs arrangements that will operate from the start of next year.

This consultation builds on those foundations for the longer term. Drawing upon the expertise of the UK border industry, we have an ambitious vision to build the world’s most effective and efficient border over the next five years.

By taking advantage of our new independence to design this world-leading border, we can respond to new, emerging and strategic opportunities, and better protect ourselves and our environment.

We can identify, harness and embed the latest smart, cutting-edge approaches into the design and operation of our border and supply chains. We can equip our ports to facilitate the movement of goods by legitimate traders to improve the detection and disruption of illegal immigration and other security threats.

Our goal is to publish a 2025 UK Border Strategy by the end of the year. We will set out a clear vision and roadmap that the Government and border industry, working together, can deliver.

Our border is more than a line on a map. It is a combination of public and private organisations, policies, processes and systems. Developing a new strategy for the border is no small endeavour. That’s why we want your views, insights and proposals.

With your help, we can ensure that our border protects the whole United Kingdom, projects our values abroad and empowers us to embrace our new global destiny.

Rt Hon Michael Gove MP, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office

7. The Purpose of this Consultation

7.1 What this consultation seeks to achieve

Our intention is to publish a 2025 UK Border Strategy by the end of the year, which government and industry can deliver together. This will set out the longer-term ambition for the UK border, beyond the staged controls which will be implemented at the end of the transition period. This Strategy will set a clear pathway for delivering the world’s most effective border by 2025, ensuring the UK becomes an even more attractive place to travel to and do business with. It will ensure the UK is better protected against crime, terrorism and environmental and biosecurity threats.

Government is committed to working with the Devolved Administrations and stakeholders who depend on our shared border to deliver this vision for 2025. As the first step, this consultation invites stakeholders to share their ideas and evidence, to help develop a UK Border Strategy and Target Operating Model for 2025 and beyond. Specifically, the purpose of this consultation is to:

  • consult on the strategic vision, objectives and desired outcomes for the 2025 UK border
  • seek views on the changes and transformations that the Government and border industry must bring together to deliver this vision; and
  • identify where specific changes to policy, processes or systems must be made to deliver the changes needed

We are not seeking views on the Border Operating Model or arrangements for the border at the end of the transition period (the first iteration of which was published on 13 July [footnote 1] ). This consultation is focussed on the long-term ambition for the UK’s border.

7.2 Alignment with other consultations and strategies from UK Government

The 2025 UK Border Strategy is being developed as a cross-departmental project involving all government bodies who design and deliver the border. The 2025 Strategy builds on existing departmental work, such as the points-based immigration system, Future Borders programme, the development of the overarching Export Strategy, as well as the results from the recent consultation on Freeports (so there is no need for stakeholders to repeat views that formed part of the response to that consultation).

8. Context for this Consultation and the 2025 Border Strategy

8.1 Introduction

The UK’s exit from the European Union has provided the country with an opportunity to build a more effective border – one that helps create prosperity and enhances security for a global United Kingdom. There are significant long-term trends in the movement of goods and people that pose challenges to governments and industries around the world and to which the UK’s border must respond. These trends also present opportunities. Responding to them will allow the UK to maximise its potential as one of the world’s leading competitive and innovative nations.

Globalisation and global population growth are increasing the number of goods and passengers travelling across international borders. Estimates suggest 90% of global economic growth in the next decade will come from outside the EU [footnote 2]. If the UK wishes to take full advantage of new trading opportunities and free trade agreements, our future border must be ready for growth. Simultaneously this increase in global trade will require an ever more secure, resilient and efficient border, able to manage migration, prevent smuggling, protect the UK from terrorism and biosecurity threats, and enforce the controls needed to protect UK consumers, businesses and the environment.

Climate change and resource scarcity will drive human migration across the world in larger volumes than ever before. Projections for the number of environmental migrants vary between 25 million and 300 million by 2050 [footnote 3]. People will seek to migrate through legal and illegal channels, adding additional pressures to existing border structures. Serious and organised crime, including organised immigration crime, will continue to exploit border vulnerabilities with increasing levels of sophistication, particularly around the UK coastline

Technology and consumer demand for speed and predictability require a change in the way borders operate. The rise in e-commerce will produce an anticipated ~60% growth in cross-border fast parcels over the next five years [footnote 4]. Border efficiency will be key to meeting 72-hour global door-to-door standards expected by customers [footnote 5]. Advances in technologies that can harness the value of data and automate and digitise processes, give the UK the opportunity to meet those expectations. Finally, the efficiency and ease of crossing the border for legitimate passengers and trade are important measures for international firms making the investment decisions that the UK wishes to attract.

8.2 Leaving the European Union

The UK’s transition period with the European Union will end on 31 December 2020. As an independent trading nation, outside of the Single Market and the Customs Union, the UK’s relationship with the world will change. This regained independence and control gives the UK the opportunity to shape how our border operates in a way that has not existed for decades. We will no longer be constrained by the EU’s controls on its internal market, or the Universal Customs Code, we will be able to design our border systems and processes in a way which delivers the greatest benefit to the UK and supports the free trade agreements we negotiate. The Border Operating Model in place for the end of the transition period with staged implementation of controls, which was published on 13 July [footnote 6], will form the baseline which the 2025 UK Border Strategy and Target Operating Model will build on to develop the world’s most effective border by 2025.

8.3 Impact of Covid-19 on the border

The Covid-19 pandemic has led to fundamental changes to the way in which we live our lives and how the border operates. Every aspect of the border, be it people or freight traffic, and all modes of transport have had to respond. The importance of a resilient border that can respond to changing trends, threats and emergencies was highlighted by the pandemic and must form a fundamental part of our 2025 UK Border Strategy. Changes have already been put in place to facilitate trade while minimising human interactions. These are temporary measures, but lessons are being learnt about how we can maintain controls while using digital solutions. The ongoing impact of Covid-19 is likely to impact how the UK border is used by the general public, trade and industry.

8.4 The need for the UK Border Strategy

In the face of the trends and changes set out above, now is the ideal moment to develop a new long-term strategy for the UK border. The UK has a unique opportunity to rethink the purpose and delivery of all aspects of the border in order to create one that is fit for the future and benefits all the nations of the UK. It will be critical for government to work in partnership with the border industry to achieve this, given that so much of the border operating environment is jointly delivered.

9. The Importance of the UK Border

9.1 Defining the scope of the 2025 UK Border Strategy

Our border is more than a line on a map. It is a combination of organisations, policies, processes and systems that control, monitor and protect physical crossings of people and goods into and out of the UK’s territory. There are more than 270 recognised crossing points and many other smaller entry points across the UK [footnote 7]. The smooth operation of these is critical to the UK’s economy and maintaining the flow of critical goods.

The UK is situated at the intersection of global transport and trading networks. Over the last decade we have seen sustained growth in the volumes of passengers and goods crossing the border. In the year 2019, there were an estimated 144 million passenger arrivals [footnote 8] and in the 12-month period ending in February 2020, the UK’s total trade was around £1.4 trillion, of which £863 billion was goods and £554 billion was services [footnote 9]. While Covid-19 has had a significant short-term impact on these figures, in the long-term these trends are likely to continue. The UK’s border therefore presents significant opportunities for economic and cultural benefit.

A range of private sector organisations are integral to the operation of the border. Carriers move people and goods across the UK border, and port and airport operators manage the points of entry for ships, planes and trains arriving into the UK. Together, with intermediaries and the professional services industry, they manage flows of people and trade, collect data on goods and passengers, and interface with government systems. They also provide physical space for government organisations, such as Border Force, to operate.

The integrity of our border is essential for the security of the UK and one of our primary defences against a range of threats, but it also has vulnerabilities that are known to and targeted by those who seek to undermine our controls, either for criminal gain, illegal migration or terrorist activity. Securing the UK’s border and protecting our communities, environment and businesses is a priority and the border is a key intervention point to maintain our safety and security.

Border processes are also vital to protect the UK economy, society and environment. They help ensure that the goods imported into the country meet UK standards, as well as protecting the health of the public, animals and of the environment from biosecurity threats. Border processes underpin the immigration system, ensuring that we are able to identify passengers entering the country and their reason for doing so, promoting a positive experience for legitimate travellers while stopping abuse of the migration system. The border is used to enforce international sanctions and embargoes, supporting the UK’s foreign policy and national security objectives.

The UK Global Tariff announced in May is a policy tailored to the needs of the UK economy, scrapping red tape and other unnecessary barriers to trade, reducing cost pressures and increasing choice for consumers. It also backs UK industries to compete on the global stage. Duties levied at the border are a vital part of Government’s wider tax regime. They fund public services, such as the NHS, from which all citizens benefit. HMRC collects around £34 billion in VAT, and customs and excise duties each year from cross-border transactions [footnote 10].

9.2 What are the benefits of an ambitious border strategy for the UK?

Working with border stakeholders and taking a cross-government, strategic, long-term approach to transform the UK border will yield many benefits.

  • It will help create prosperity: A more resilient, user-centric border, which generates predictability, can reduce the costs of international trade. This will make it easier for UK traders to access new markets overseas and will promote the UK as a trusted trading partner. At the same time, a joined-up approach to border management will improve compliance, close tax gaps and increase revenue collected at the border, thereby supporting investment in public services.
  • It will support innovation in the border industry: A long-term border strategy will give the border industry certainty that can guide their own long-term planning and so support investment in innovation, in partnership with the Government.
  • It will make travellers’ journeys smoother and more secure: A user-centric border that facilitates the flow of legitimate passengers will provide a better traveller experience, safeguard vulnerable people and help attract more visitors to the UK, without compromising security.
  • It will protect the UK’s environment: A long-term border strategy will support our environmental ambitions and defend the UK against the threat of invasive species, pests and diseases that impact people, plants and animals, as well as animal welfare. Learning from international best practice will enable us to improve our biosecurity, drawing on the approach and experience of countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Canada and others to develop a bespoke approach for the UK.
  • It will keep people safe: Strengthening partnerships will enhance our ability to intervene at the border to detect, deter and disrupt serious and organised crime and terrorism. It will also protect those at risk of human trafficking, modern slavery or forced labour and prevent the arrival of harmful products.

9.3 How this applies to the Devolved Administrations

The 2025 UK Border Strategy will set out the Government’s objectives for the whole of the UK’s external border for the movements of goods and people to and from the European Union and the wider world. Import and export controls are generally reserved, but the areas of food safety, the protection of human, animal and plant health, and the environment are devolved. The Devolved Administrations therefore implement various provisions in these areas in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. We will continue to work with the Devolved Administrations to develop a border strategy which works for the whole of the UK.

We recognise the unique circumstances of Northern Ireland. The Northern Ireland Protocol - the Government’s approach to which it set out in a Command Paper in May - guarantees that there will be no infrastructure, checks or controls on the movement of people or goods across the land border between Ireland and Northern Ireland. It also secures Northern Ireland’s place in the UK customs territory. The future of the Protocol will depend on the consent of the people of Northern Ireland. The 2025 UK Border Strategy will be designed to support the operation of the Northern Ireland Protocol, and where aspects of the UK Border Strategy could support the future approach to the requirements stemming from the Protocol these will be explored as appropriate.

Throughout the development and delivery of the 2025 UK Border Strategy, the Government will continue to work closely with the Northern Ireland Executive, the Welsh Government and the Scottish Government to seek pragmatic and beneficial solutions for the people and businesses across the UK.

9.4 How this applies to the Common Travel Area and Crown Dependencies

The Common Travel Area (CTA) is an arrangement which facilitates the free movement of individuals between the UK and Ireland, as well as the Isle of Man, Guernsey and Jersey. This arrangement will be maintained regardless of the UK’s exit from the EU and we are clear that this co-operation with CTA members will continue. This means that, as now, the UK will not operate routine immigration controls on journeys from within the CTA, with no immigration controls whatsoever on the Ireland-Northern Ireland land border. We will also continue to engage with the Crown Dependencies to maintain and reaffirm our close customs relationships and consult on the Government’s future ambition for the UK border.

10. Views on Developing a UK Border Strategy

10.1 Developing a 2025 UK Border Strategy

We have drawn on international evidence, and conversations with stakeholders, to begin to develop a framework for the 2025 UK Border Strategy that seeks to position the UK to respond to the trends and opportunities previously mentioned.

This framework is composed of a vision and strategic objectives for the UK border. The objectives drive strategic outcomes that will be the measure of a successful 2025 strategy. Once finalised, these will inform our approach to border management and investment over the next five years.

We wish to test our assumptions and conclusions with stakeholders so that we can refine this strategic framework and define the changes that the Government and the border industry must deliver in order to make the Strategy a reality by 2025.

10.2 Strategic Vision, Objectives and Outcomes

Our vision is: to have the world’s most effective border that creates prosperity and enhances security for a global United Kingdom.

To deliver our vision we have developed four strategic objectives, which we believe define a UK border that would respond to the changing trends in trade, security and the operation of borders globally. We believe these objectives are highly complementary and our goal is to create a border that can achieve them all.

These strategic objectives must drive measurable outcomes that deliver meaningful benefits to UK citizens, businesses and government organisations. The draft strategic outcomes we have identified are those we believe which are the most impactful and cross-cutting, and which if achieved would deliver the greatest benefits to the UK.

The draft strategic objectives and outcomes are summarised below.

Strategic objectives Strategic outcomes
Promotes UK growth and prosperity by facilitating international trade from businesses of all sizes, while effectively collecting the revenue owed - Improve the end-to-end user experience for moving legitimate goods into and out of the UK for businesses of all sizes to promote prosperity in all regions of the UK.
- Create a border that contributes to increasing the UK’s competitiveness as a top destination for international trade and investment. Improve the collection of revenue owed at the border and close the tax gap.
Detects, deters and disrupts serious and organised crime, terrorism, harm and threats to biosecurity, on land and at sea, in order to protect the UK’s people, businesses, health, and environment - Detect and reduce threats as far as possible before they reach the border to ensure effective interventions and enforcement of controls at the right point in the journey.
- Reduce vulnerabilities at the border and within the UK’s territorial waters to reduce biosecurity threats and impede the ability of actors to smuggle people and goods into and out of the UK.
Facilitates the movement of people that benefits the UK, prevents abuse of the migration system, and safeguards vulnerable people, without compromising security. - Improve the end-to-end user experience for legitimate travellers to promote the UK as a top destination for tourism and business travellers.
- Discourage and detect individuals who attempt to abuse or circumvent the UK’s migration system.
- Safeguard vulnerable individuals and reduce the risk to life to those attempting to cross the border illegally.
Is resilient, adaptable and able to respond in an agile manner to one-off events and changing trends, and is value for money for both the taxpayer and users - Increase the resilience of international supply chains and minimise the risk of disruption at UK ports.
- Increase the Government and industry’s ability to forecast flow and identify national security, public and animal health, and environmental threats at the border and intervene more effectively in emergencies.
- Enhance cost effectiveness for taxpayers and users.

10.3 Questions

1) To what extent do you agree with the vision and objectives for the UK border?

2) To what extent are the draft strategic outcomes listed above those that will deliver the most benefit to the UK? Are there any other changes you would suggest?

11. Views on Delivering the World’s Most Effective Border

11.1 Designing the future border

We wish to develop a Target Operating Model for the future border, which will set out how the strategic objectives and outcomes above will be delivered. In order to do this we wish to identify the key changes that need to be brought about in the way the border currently operates.

11.2 The user journey across the border

To ensure our border is fit for the future, the Government wants to ensure that the user experience of travelling or trading across the UK border is as positive and frictionless as possible for legitimate travellers and goods movements. We are keen to hear from groups representing travellers, traders and the wider border industry about where they believe the user journey could be improved to deliver the greatest benefits to the UK.

In order to travel across the UK’s border, or to import or export, there are a number of steps before, at, and after the border which users must go through. Some of those most regularly encountered are illustrated below.

11.3 Goods

Pre-departure At the UK port of arrival or departure At destination
Actions users may have to perform at this stage:
- Registration with HMRC for systems access.
- Application for licenses and permissions for controlled goods.
- Appointment of an intermediary to help move the goods.
- Application for facilitations from HMRC (e.g. AEO)
Actions users may have to perform at this stage:
- Checking of goods as part of import or export controls for security, biosecurity, health and environmental protections.
- Submission for goods for intelligence-led security checks.
- Registration of goods with port inventory systems.
- Submission of customs declarations, licenses and permits to Government.
- Entry of goods into special customs procedures
Actions users may have to perform at this stage:
- Payment of duties and taxes.
- Submission of supplementary data to HMG.
- Submission of proof of import/export for VAT management.

11.4 Questions

3) As a trader, what part of the user journey do you think the UK border delivers particularly well?

4) As a trader, what part of the user journey, illustrated above, do you find most difficult or frustrating?

5) Where could government work with industry to improve processes for traders (potentially learning from other countries)?

6) As a trader what are the key drivers of cost for you in moving goods across the border?

7) As a trader, what are the key non-financial barriers to moving goods across the border?

8) As a trader, do you move goods across the border at various places in the UK or do you focus on a particular route? If so, what drives your choice of port?

9) As a trader, have you used, or tried to use, an intermediary for your interaction with the border? Why and what was your experience?

10) To what extent are supply chains able to adapt in the face of major disruption at the border (i.e. flexing between different routes or modes of transport)?

11) In what ways might government facilitate the adaptation of supply chains and so enhance their resilience?

11.5 Travellers

Pre-departure At the UK port of arrival or departure At destination
Actions users may have to perform at this stage:
- Applications for visas
- Submission of identity information to carrier
Actions users may have to perform at this stage:
- Immigration checks by Border Force
- Health checks to ensure no risk of infectious diseases
- Customs declarations for goods carried by passengers on which duties are owed
- Checks for dangerous, prohibited or restricted items carried by passengers
Actions users may have to perform at this stage:
- VAT reimbursement
- Apply to change or extend permission to remain in the UK

11.6 Questions

12) As a group representing leisure or commercial travellers, what part of the traveller user journey do you believe the UK delivers particularly well?

13) As a group representing leisure or commercial travellers, what part of the user journey, illustrated above, do travellers find most difficult or frustrating?

14) Where could government work with industry to improve processes for travellers (potentially learning from other countries)?

15) As a group representing leisure or commercial travellers, do you believe that all the necessary information and material is accessible to support the user journey for travellers crossing the border?

11.7 Major transformations to deliver the 2025 border

To deliver the world’s most effective border, the Government has identified six draft transformations it believes should be delivered over the next few years, in partnership with industry, to deliver the vision for the border. They will require the whole of the Government, working with industry, to deliver through multi-year, multi-strand change programmes. The draft transformations are as follows:

  • Transformation 1: Move as much away from the actual frontier as possible and appropriate, both for travellers and traders. We will increase upstream compliance by moving processes and infrastructure, related to both goods and people, away from the border where appropriate to: decrease costs of compliance for businesses of all sizes and individuals; reduce border delays; make it simpler and easier for users through streamlined processes; and collect more revenues remotely.
  • Transformation 2: Establish resilient ‘ports of the future’ at border crossing points to make the experience smoother and more secure for travellers and traders, while better protecting the public and environment. We will create a highly digitised and automated border to increase productivity and enable swift and secure clearance for legitimate goods and people at the frontier while protecting the UK from security and biosecurity threats; and ensure better infrastructure across the UK that is resilient, multifunctional and facilitates secure and safe interventions.
  • Transformation 3: Develop a co-ordinated user-centric government approach at the border which provides a smooth, streamlined and secure experience to legitimate traders and travellers, and enables resilient and effective cross-government border administration that works effectively in partnership with industry. We will strengthen cross-government border governance and work closely with industry to design systems and processes. This will ensure that systems and processes are developed and delivered in a joined-up, user-centric manner across government. This will ensure a positive experience for legitimate travellers and traders and will drive value for money for both the taxpayer and users.
  • Transformation 4: Bring together government’s collection, assurance and use of border data to provide a comprehensive and holistic view of data at the border, whilst ensuring adequate data protection is in place. We will integrate and unify how government accesses the data it needs in partnership with industry. The goal will be to move to a single source of truth for border data across government, so each relevant department has access to the same data for their needs, which will reduce the number of times traders and travellers need to provide the same information. This will enable reliable, intelligence-led activity and data visibility in real time, while reducing duplicative activity, and will improve security through generating predictability and better analytical-based risk targeting.
  • Transformation 5: Build the capability of staff responsible for delivering border processes and users of the border, particularly in an environment of greater automation. We will seek to train government employees to ensure they have the necessary skills and capabilities to support users of the border and deal with automation, trade and complex security and biosecurity risks. We will continue to work with the border industry to ensure that it has the skills and capability to meet the needs of all users and supports the UK border in becoming the world’s most effective.
  • Transformation 6: Shape the future development of borders worldwide, to promote the UK’s interests, improve security and facilitate end-to-end trade and travel. We will ensure the UK collaborates with its international partners to shape and showcase the UK’s compliance with international standards and practices to ensure interoperability of border processes and systems across industry and other countries to promote integration, strengthen partnerships and harmonise border user journeys.

11.8 Questions

16) To what extent do you agree that these six transformations are the required major changes in border delivery, to realise the vision and objectives for the UK border by 2025?

17) To what extent do you believe the proposed transformations would decrease the costs and overall burden on legitimate businesses and passengers crossing the border? ###Enabling the major transformations

In order to achieve such major transformations to the way in which the border is delivered, there are cross-cutting enabling capabilities that would need to be in place in order to allow industry and government to work together to deliver the transformations. For example, better processes and systems for sharing data at the border between government and businesses would require a legislative framework to share and protect that data.

Through this consultation we would like to test industry, expert and users views on what these could be and how they could be put in place to transform the border effectively.

11.9 Questions - policy and legislation

18) Which policy and legislative changes would be required for the delivery of these major transformations in the way the border operates?

19) What adjustments may be needed to specific international instruments, conventions or standards to enable the UK to deliver fully on its 2025 Strategy?

11.10 Questions - the role of industry

20) How can the Government best support and incentivise industry to work with the public sector to deliver the 2025 border?

21) How can the Government help the border industry and users of the border to innovate to develop better border processes, systems and technology (for example by setting standards, creating APIs, or putting in place test-beds and other enablers of innovation)?

22) Are you able to access the skills and information that you need to trade effectively across the UK border? If not, what are the biggest barriers?

23) Please suggest any ways you believe government and the border industry could build the capability of frontline staff (both public and private sector) who support users of the border.

24) How might the role of intermediaries (e.g. customs agents, freight forwarders, customs bureaus) need to evolve in response to future changes in trade, business and the UK’s border strategy?

11.11 Questions - technology

25) What technological solutions would improve the experience of trading across the UK border, enabling swift and secure clearance for legitimate goods?

26) What technological and IT solutions would make the experience of travelling across the UK border as a passenger smoother and more secure?

11.12 Questions - data

27) Are there opportunities to change the way data is shared across supply chains and with government to improve the operation of the border? Are there any legal or commercial barriers to this?

28) How do you see the technologies for sharing and validating data within supply chains changing between now and 2025? How might this affect the operation of the border?

29) How easy is it for you to access the information you need to move goods or travel across the border? What obstacles are there to obtaining the data you need and sharing it with others (e.g. government, people in your supply chain, carriers)?

11.13 Questions - border checking facilities and infrastructure

30) To what extent is the visibility of security checks at the UK border important for travellers’ and traders’ sense of safety?

31) What do you see as the advantages and/or disadvantages of moving border checking facilities away from the physical border crossing point? How could this be improved across the country to support the Government’s levelling up agenda?

32) How could border checking facilities be designed to reduce delays for legitimate goods and people, whilst still facilitating secure and safe interventions?

11.14 Questions - other

33) Please provide any other feedback on the development of the 2025 UK Border Strategy not specifically addressed by any of the questions above.

12. Responding to this consultation

12.1 Responding to this consultation

We are inviting stakeholders to provide responses to this paper to share their views on how the Government can develop and deliver the world’s most effective border for 2025. Responses can be made online through our consultation portal. Responses should be submitted by 28 August 2020. When responding, please specify who you are responding on behalf of and that you have their agreement.

Alternatively, if you are unable to access the consultation platform and need to respond through an alternative format, please get in touch with the team at 2025borderstrategy@hmrc.gov.uk where we will provide the form required.

12.2 Next steps

The UK’s border is unique in the way in which it is delivered in partnership with industry and the Government recognises the vital importance of ensuring that the future design and delivery of the UK border incorporates the expertise of industry. The responses received through this consultation will be shared and analysed across government and used to inform the development of the 2025 UK Border Strategy and the underpinning detailed delivery model over the coming months, with the expectation that we will publish a 2025 Border Strategy before the end of the year.

Thank you for participating in this consultation exercise.

13. Glossary

Term Definition
Border The combination of organisations, policies, processes and systems that directly manage, control, monitor or protect physical crossings of people and goods into and out of the UK’s territory
Border checking facilities Facilities used by border agencies to do checks on passengers and goods arriving and departing to/from the United Kingdom
Fast parcel operators Fast parcels operators (for example, couriers or next-day parcels services) move goods in parcels in or out of the UK for clients, providing an end-to-end to service for clients.
Goods Physical items that are transported across the border
High-risk goods Physical items that may pose a threat to security, the environment or health - e.g. firearms /weapons, illegal substances, feed and food imports, live animals, products derived from endangered species
Legitimate businesses Businesses that have completed the necessary legal requirements to trade goods and services into or out of the UK
Legitimate goods Goods that are compliant with the necessary legal requirements to move into or out of the UK
Legitimate passengers Travellers moving across the UK border through legal routes who have completed the necessary legal requirements to travel into or out of the UK (e.g. visas)
Legitimate traders A person or business that has completed the necessary legal requirements to trade goods and services into or out of the UK
Ports Also known as ‘ports of entry’. A designated place where people or goods may legally enter the UK - e.g. international airports, sea ports, the Channel Tunnel
Transformations Multi-year, multi-strand change programmes that will deliver the vision, mission, strategic outcomes and objectives of this strategy

14. Annex A - Privacy Notice

This notice sets out your rights with respect to how we will use your personal data. The Border and Protocol Delivery Group (Cabinet Office) is hosting this consultation on behalf of the Government. Cabinet Office recognises that it has a duty to people whose information it holds to treat that information responsibly, keep it safe and secure, and process it correctly and proportionately. This Privacy Notice broadly explains what information we collect, the purpose for processing, categories of personal information and who we may share it with. It is made under Articles 13 and/or 14 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

14.1 Purpose

The UK Government is consulting with: the border industry and its representative bodies; logistics firms; UK or international businesses who trade across the UK border; organisations who depend upon the movement of goods or people across the UK border; groups representing commercial and leisure travellers; and experts on border processes and procedures to help inform the development of the 2025 UK Border Strategy and its underpinning policies.

Information provided whilst contributing to this consultation, including personal information, may be published or disclosed in accordance with access to information regimes, primarily the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) and the Data Protection Act (2018), but only where your rights to privacy are not breached. The information you provide will be processed on the lawful basis of public task.

If you want the information you provide to be treated confidentially, please be aware that, in accordance with the FOIA, public authorities are required to comply with a statutory code of practice which deals, amongst other things, with obligations of confidence. In view of this, it would be helpful if you could explain to us why you wish that information to be treated confidentially. If we receive a request for disclosure of information that has been provided, we will take full account of your explanation, but we cannot give an assurance that confidentiality can be maintained in all circumstances.

14.2 Your data

We will collect the following information as part of the Public Consultation:

  • name (first name and surname)
  • email address
  • name of organisation / business / business organisation you represent, if any
  • IP address (accessible only to the named administrators on the platform)
  • stakeholder opinions on a range of border issues and solutions
  • characteristics of responding organisation (but not individuals)

We will use your personal information to help us distinguish any responses from bots or other fraudulent sources to maintain the integrity of the consultation. We may also use your contact details, if you provide them, to get in touch with you to discuss your response to our consultation or to get in touch to discuss other border related issues. We may also use your contact details to remove your response if you instruct us to do so.

The legal basis for processing your personal data is that it is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the data controller. In this case that is consulting on the 2025 UK Border Strategy, in order to robustly test our assumptions and conclusions with you so that we can refine this strategic framework and so clearly define the changes that Government and the border industry must deliver in order to make the Strategy a reality by 2025.

Sensitive personal data is personal data revealing racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, or trade union membership, and the processing of genetic data, biometric data for the purpose of uniquely identifying a natural person, data concerning health or data concerning a natural person’s sex life or sexual orientation. This consultation does not ask you to share any sensitive personal data.

14.4 Recipients

Where individuals submit responses, we may publish their responses, but we will not publicly identify them. We will endeavour to remove any information that may lead to individuals being identified.

Responses submitted by organisations or representatives of organisations may be published in full.

14.5 Retention

Published information will generally be retained indefinitely on the basis that the information is of historic value. This would include, for example, personal data about representatives of organisations.

Responses from individuals will be retained in identifiable form for three calendar years after the consultation has concluded.

14.6 How we may share your information

Your personal data will be processed and shared within the Cabinet Office and with selected third parties, as set out below.

Your personal data will initially be stored on the platform Qualtrics, who are the data processor for this consultation, as well as our IT infrastructure and corresponding data processors who provide email, and document management and storage services.

To support border policy development across government, we will share your responses with other government departments including but not limited to: Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy, Department for Digital, Culture Media and Sport, Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, Department for International Trade, Department for Transport, Department of Health and Social Care, Food Standards Agency, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, HM Treasury, HM Revenue and Customs, Home Office, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Ministry of Justice, Northern Ireland Executive, Scottish Government, and Welsh Government.

Aggregated analysis of responses may also be shared with the Government Internal Audit Agency (GIAA), the National Audit Office (NAO) and central government departments.

14.7 Your Rights

You have the right to request information about how your personal data is processed, and to request a copy of that personal data.

You have the right to request that any inaccuracies in your personal data are rectified without delay.

You have the right to request that any incomplete personal data is completed, including by means of a supplementary statement.

You have the right to request that your personal data is erased if there is no longer a justification for them to be processed.

You have the right in certain circumstances (for example, where accuracy is contested) to request that the processing of your personal data is restricted.

You have the right to object to the processing of your personal data.

14.8 International Transfers

As your personal data is stored on our IT infrastructure, and shared with our data processors, it may be transferred and stored securely outside the United Kingdom and European Union. Where that is the case it will be subject to equivalent legal protection through the use of Model Contract Clauses.

14.9 Contact Details

The data controllers for your personal data are the following organisations (acting jointly): Cabinet Office, Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy, Department for Digital, Culture Media and Sport, Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, Department for International Trade, Department for Transport, Department of Health and Social Care, Food Standards Agency, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, HM Treasury, HM Revenue and Customs, Home Office, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Ministry of Justice, Northern Ireland Executive, Scottish Government, and Welsh Government.

Any questions or concerns about this consultation should be addressed in the first instance to the Cabinet Office. The contact details for the Cabinet Office are: Cabinet Office (Border and Protocol Delivery Group), 70 Whitehall, London, SW1A 2AS, or 0207 276 1234, or publiccorrespondence@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.

The contact details for the Cabinet Office’s Data Protection Officer are: Data Protection Officer, Cabinet Office, 70 Whitehall, London, SW1A 2AS, or dpo@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.

The Data Protection Officer provides independent advice and monitoring of Cabinet Office’s use of personal information.

14.10 Complaints

If you consider that your personal data has been misused or mishandled, you may make a complaint to the Information Commissioner, who is an independent regulator. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF, or 0303 123 1113, or casework@ico.org.uk. Any complaint to the Information Commissioner is without prejudice to your right to seek redress through the courts.