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Ashford MP Damian Green faces questions over border checks

Immigration minister and Ashford MP Damian Green
Immigration minister and Ashford MP Damian Green


The Ashford MP and immigration minister Damian Green will face questions from fellow MPs about his role in decisions to relax border controls today.

The politician has been summoned to appear before the cross-party Home Affairs Select Committee in the face of an ongoing row over a policy that is said to have led to arrivals at ports and airports going unchecked.

The chairman of the select committee Keith Vaz MP said: "The committee remains concerned by the contradictory information that it has received so far.

"The integrity of our borders is of the upmost importance. We're determined to find out the facts surrounding the events at the UK Border Agency this summer and have written to the Home Secretary with further questions.

"We look forward to seeing the immigration minister today."

Mr Green is likely to face a grilling over what he knew about the relaxation of border controls.

He can also expect to be pressed about what he knew about any changes made by UK Border Agency officials to operational procedures.

The minister, who gave a bullish defence of the government's position in the House of Commons last week, may also be quizzed about a Home Office press release that led to allegations that figures on drug seizures had been massaged.

Sir Michael Scholar, the chairman of the UK Statistics Authority, has written to Mr Green suggesting the press release was "highly selective" in its use of data and asking for reassurances that it was not released to enhance the reputation of the UK Borders Agency.

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