Listen
Policing ports
21/11/2011
Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill and Northern Ireland Justice Minister David Ford have met with Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and the UK Border Agency to discuss security at sea crossings between Scotland and Northern Ireland.
At the meeting, Ministers discussed with the UK Border Agency (UKBA) the arrangements for policing at ports.
Mr MacAskill and Mr Ford also toured the new facilities at Loch Ryan and discussed opportunities for greater collaboration between forensic laboratories in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said:
"The security of our sea crossings is vital and the Scottish Government takes the policing of our borders and ports very seriously.
"I want to commend police on both sides of the water for all of their hard work ensuring our increasingly busy ports are secure.
"However I am keen to ensure that following the withdrawal of UKBA support in Stranraer, police are not put under additional pressure due to routes between Northern Ireland and Scotland being exploited.
"I have raised my concerns with Home Office ministers in the past and will continue to do so. I am heartened that all partners will continue to work together to keep the situation under review and ensure operations are properly co-ordinated in the wake of this decision."
Northern Ireland Justice Minister David Ford said:
"I have been impressed at the new facilities at Loch Ryan and by the level of co-operation between police services and the UKBA in keeping our ports secure.
"Human trafficking is an issue of increasing concern, with criminals seeking to exploit the links between Scotland and Northern Ireland and further into the Republic of Ireland.
"I am committed to work in partnership with my counterparts in both Edinburgh and Dublin to do what we can to protect the security of our ports and borders.
"At an operation level, the working relationship that exists between different law enforcement agencies in different jurisdictions goes a long way to make our ports an unwelcoming place for criminals."