To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the need to inspect proof of nationality on entry into Britain of people travelling from the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland.
Answered on
1 November 2017
The Common Travel Area (CTA) is an existing special border-free zone which facilitates the long-standing principle of free movement for British and Irish nationals and the enjoyment of reciprocal rights enjoyed by the respective state’s citizens. It is made up of the UK, Ireland and the Crown Dependencies (Jersey; Guernsey; Isle of Man). There are no routine immigration controls on journeys from within the CTA. To protect this arrangement there is a high level of collaboration between the UK and Ireland to strengthen the external border of the CTA.
The Government is committed to maintaining the CTA once the UK leaves the EU, including the joint work with Ireland aimed at securing the external CTA border and preventing abuse of the arrangement. This will protect the ability to move freely within the UK and between the UK and Ireland, recognising the special importance of this to people in their daily lives, and the underpinning it provides for the Northern Ireland peace process.