An exasperated MP condemned the Home Office for uncertainty over border security if there is a no-deal Brexit by reminding officials there is “only five months left”.
Chairing the Home Affairs Select Committee, Yvette Cooper lost her patience with Border Officials and Tories who appeared uncertain on the risks a no-deal Brexit would pose to UK security.
Asked on Tuesday about measures being taken for the UK leaving without a deal, Border Force director general Paul Lincoln and immigration minister Shona Dunn failed to answer the questions.
Addressing the officials, Ms Cooper said: “What I want to understand is what is the scale of the risks? Surely parliament has a right to know this information.”
In response, Mr Lincoln said he thought it would be best for him to return to the committee at a later date.
Ms Dunn added: “Part of the answer to your question can only be known once we’ve actually had the conversations necessary if we find ourselves in that position."
Interrupting the immigration minister, Ms Cooper exclaimed: “You’ve only got five months left.
“If there is no deal surely it would be one of the top priorities to do a security assessment of what the consequences are of a no deal at the border.”
Continuing to condemn the officials’ lack of answers, she added: “So you don’t know what the level of security downgrade is going to be at the border if there is no deal?”
Ms Cooper then told the officials it was “hard to have any confidence in your processes of planning and contingency planning for no deal if you don’t know what is the scale of the security downgrade.”
Writing on Twitter after the committee drew to a close, she added: “Astonishing session this afternoon trying to get to bottom of Govt No Deal preparations.
“Home Office still doesn’t know what security impact on border will be of losing access to EU criminal databases for border checks. THERE’S ONLY 5 MONTHS.”
The lively session ended with Immigration Minister Caroline Nokes complaining the intended hour-long session had overrun by 45 minutes.
“We have a whole series of questions that Parliament hasn’t had answers to," Ms Cooper said.
"I’m hugely grateful for your time but I hope you understand the importance of being able to answer to parliament."
“And with only five months to go some of my time this afternoon might have been scheduled for future planning,” Ms Nokes responded before stating two previous meetings had been cancelled.
The minister was then told it was “tough luck” by Labour MP Stephen Doughty.
