Brexit: £705m to ensure Britain's borders 'fully operational' when out of EU

The government is spending £705m on new border controls and staff as the UK prepares to fully leave the EU at the end of this year.

The money will be spent on border infrastructure, 500 more border force staff and new IT systems and technology.

The government claims the country's border systems will be "fully operational" from 31 December, when the UK is due to leave the Brexit transition period.

But one former Conservative cabinet minister and Kent MP says plans for a new lorry park and customs centre in his constituency have been "sprung on the area with no consultation".

Damian Green told Sky News he wants the government to confirm that the initial use of a 27-acre site in Ashford as a lorry park will just be an "insurance policy" and that "in an ideal world, it won't be used at all because the traffic will flow smoothly through Dover".

Mr Green's successor, Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove, said the investment would allow the UK to "seize the opportunities as we lay the foundations for the world's most effective and secure border".

The government will spend £470m to build port and inland infrastructure, with £235m going on staffing and new IT and data systems.

The investment will apply to English, Scottish and Welsh external borders with arrangements for Northern Ireland due to be published in the coming weeks.

While the EU has said it will implement full checks on goods crossing the channel, the UK will phase in controls over six months.

Earlier this week, a leaked letter written by International Trade Secretary Liz Truss suggested this could result in a challenge from the World Trade Organisation.

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Labour says the letter "lifts the lid on a growing sense of chaos and confusion" in government.

Rachel Reeves, shadow cabinet office minister, said: "This extraordinary letter deserves answers, not just given to the House of Commons, but to the industries and people who stand to be affected if the government gets this badly wrong."

There is concern that - amid the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic and continuing deadlock in the Brexit trade talks - the UK is not prepared to fully leave the EU on 31 December.

A deadline for requesting an extension to the transition period has now passed, with ministers insisting the UK will be ready to leave on time.

One part of the government's investment programme has seen the Department for Transport purchase 27 acres of land in Ashford to build a new border control centre, which will initially be used as a lorry park.

In a letter to residents, which has since been published on Facebook, junior transport minister Rachel Maclean said plans had not yet been finalised for the site but it "is anticipated to form part of the department's strategy to minimise potential disruption at Kent ports".

"This is likely to involve temporary capacity for the holding of delayed HGVs and facilities for border-related controls to be carried out by government agencies (eg HMRC)," the minister said.

Local Conservative councillor Paul Bartlett said the new development would bring much-needed employment to the area, but cautioned the government against using the land just to deal with delays.

"We do not want the site used as an Operation Brock-type lorry park," he said. "We want the high-end use for HMRC, trading standards and scientific testing service."

Operation Brock saw changes to motorway traffic flows put in place in the South East of England to deal with congestion that could have been caused by a no-deal Brexit.

Fencing will be installed at the Kent location on Monday along with preparatory work such as weeding and the construction of a temporary site office.

There has been concern that new Brexit customs checks could lead to backlogs at the border and delays on roads in the South East.

It comes as Home Secretary Priti Patel prepares to unveil more details on the UK's points-based immigration system, which will come into effect in January after freedom of movement ends.

The system is aimed at cutting the number of low-skilled migrants entering Britain while attracting more highly skilled migrants.

The Sunday Telegraph is also reporting that Chancellor Rishi Sunak is preparing to introduce tax cuts and an overhaul of planning laws for up to 10 new freeports - where taxes and tariffs will not apply - in his autumn Budget.