Kevin Foster corrected a written answer on Immigration Controls: Northern Ireland

23 September 2020 · Commons written answer · Home Office

Stephen Farry (Alliance, North Down) asked written question 83979 on 1 September 2020. Kevin Foster answered on 8 September 2020 for the Home Office, and Kevin Foster corrected the answer on 23 September 2020. The corrected text no longer gives the figure 258. Altogether 360 words differ between the two versions.

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to Command Paper 258 entitled UK points-based immigration system: further details, whether passport checks will take place on on (a) air and (b) sea travel between (i) Northern Ireland to Great Britain and (ii) Great Britain to Northern Ireland.

Original and corrected answer

Struck through: original only. Bold: correction only.

Original	Corrected
~~To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what mechanisms are in place~~ to ~~tackle potential breaches of rights under the Common~~ Travel Area To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to Command Paper 258 entitled UK points-based immigration system: further details, whether passport checks will take place on on (a) air and (b) sea travel between (i) Northern Ireland to Great Britain and (ii) Great Britain to Northern Ireland. To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the July 2020 Command Paper entitled UK Points Based System Further Details, CP 258, whether she plans to include in a universal permission to travel requirement (a) EU nationals without settled status and (b) other non-visa nationals wishing to travel from the Republic of Ireland to (i) Northern Ireland and (ii) Great Britain To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the ~~July 2020 Command Paper entitled~~ UK ~~Points Based System Further Details, CP 258, what assessment she has made~~ of the ~~implications~~ for ~~her proposals on no~~ routine immigration controls on journeys from within the Common Travel ~~area~~ to the UK and no immigration ~~controls~~ on the Northern Ireland - Ireland land border of her policy on a universal permission to travel requiring everyone wishing to travel to the UK excluding British and Irish nationals to seek permission in advance of travel via a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation.	The Universal Permission to Travel requirement will require everyone wishing to travel to the UK (except British and Irish citizens) to seek permission in advance of travel. We will introduce Electronic Travel Authorisations (ETAs) for visitors and passengers transiting through the UK who do not currently need a visa for short stays or who do not already have an immigration status prior to travelling, which will act as their permission.As now, the UK will not operate routine immigration controls on journeys from within the Common Travel Area, with no immigration controls whatsoever on the Republic of Ireland-Northern Ireland land border. However, individuals arriving in the UK must continue to enter in line with the UK’s immigration framework including the Universal Permission to Travel requirement.The CTA has never required the UK and Ireland to have entirely harmonised immigration arrangements for non-British or non-Irish citizens. Key to this is the high level of cooperation on border security to ensure that legitimate travel is facilitated while those who intend to abuse the arrangements are prevented from entering.

Original

Corrected

~~To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what mechanisms are in place~~ to ~~tackle potential breaches of rights under the Common~~ Travel Area
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to Command Paper 258 entitled UK points-based immigration system: further details, whether passport checks will take place on on (a) air and (b) sea travel between (i) Northern Ireland to Great Britain and (ii) Great Britain to Northern Ireland.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the July 2020 Command Paper entitled UK Points Based System Further Details, CP 258, whether she plans to include in a universal permission to travel requirement (a) EU nationals without settled status and (b) other non-visa nationals wishing to travel from the Republic of Ireland to (i) Northern Ireland and (ii) Great Britain
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the ~~July 2020 Command Paper entitled~~ UK ~~Points Based System Further Details, CP 258, what assessment she has made~~ of the ~~implications~~ for ~~her proposals on no~~ routine immigration controls on journeys from within the Common Travel ~~area~~ to the UK and no immigration ~~controls~~ on the Northern Ireland - Ireland land border of her policy on a universal permission to travel requiring everyone wishing to travel to the UK excluding British and Irish nationals to seek permission in advance of travel via a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation.

The Universal Permission to Travel requirement will require everyone wishing to travel to the UK (except British and Irish citizens) to seek permission in advance of travel. We will introduce Electronic Travel Authorisations (ETAs) for visitors and passengers transiting through the UK who do not currently need a visa for short stays or who do not already have an immigration status prior to travelling, which will act as their permission.As now, the UK will not operate routine immigration controls on journeys from within the Common Travel Area, with no immigration controls whatsoever on the Republic of Ireland-Northern Ireland land border. However, individuals arriving in the UK must continue to enter in line with the UK’s immigration framework including the Universal Permission to Travel requirement.The CTA has never required the UK and Ireland to have entirely harmonised immigration arrangements for non-British or non-Irish citizens. Key to this is the high level of cooperation on border security to ensure that legitimate travel is facilitated while those who intend to abuse the arrangements are prevented from entering.

The question and answer on the Parliament website.

Receipt

Read from	https://questions-statements-api.parliament.uk/api/writtenquestions/questions/1230214?expandMember=true
Date read	15 October 2026
SHA-256	`7a69528c5da706f17d671cc15b28f6aea0ffee389670b56d02808692523bff87`