UK Parliament / Open data

Customs and Borders

Proceeding contribution from Yvette Cooper (Labour) in the House of Commons on Thursday, 26 April 2018. It occurred during Backbench debate on Customs and Borders.

The hon. Lady is right. It raises huge questions about the rule of law, about the system would be enforced, and about how it could operate in a sensible and fair way without being opened up to challenge from other areas.

Crucially, the technology approach relies on cameras. I have no doubt that part of the response at Dover will be the introduction of new automated number plate recognition and other such mechanisms. As I said to the Prime Minister before Christmas, cameras are infrastructure. If we add a whole load of cameras to the Northern Ireland border, we will still be creating the infrastructure and—crucially—the targets that the police fear will become a focus for dissident groups who want to disrupt the peace process. That, I understand, is why everyone, including the Government, has concluded that cameras at the Northern Ireland border are not a sensible solution and should not be part of our approach.

About this proceeding contribution

Reference

639 c1062 

Session

2017-19

Chamber / Committee

House of Commons chamber
Back to top