Labour MP Russell Brown said today he is “furious” at news that the Tory Lib Dem Government is to withdraw UK Border Agency funding for three ports police officers at Stranraer - where large numbers of immigration offences are detected.

The news comes on the back of predictions by Dumfries and Galloway police force that they will need to cut almost 200 police officers and staff over the next few years as a result of cuts being made by the SNP government.

The ports of Stranraer and Cairnryan are an anomaly in the UK as they are entry points to the UK mainland but not classed as UK border entry points. This makes the ports attractive for illegal immigrants seeking to gain access and for organised criminals to smuggle contraband goods or illegal drugs to the UK mainland.

In the last two years, 61% of offences reported to the police in Dumfries and Galloway Ports Unit were immigration-related.

In June a massive jump in counterfeit cigarettes coming through the region was revealed and the ports of Stranraer and Cairnryan were increasingly being used to smuggle them into the mainland from Northern Ireland.

Earlier this year Meg Hillier MP, former junior immigration minister at the Home Office, visited Stranraer port with Russell Brown MP to see first hand what had to be done to ensure the safety and security of the port. She subsequently reported to the Home Secretary to determine what further action the Home Office or UK Border Agency might take to relieve some of the pressure from Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary.

No Minister from the new Government has visited Stranraer before taking the decision to axe this funding.

Dumfries and Galloway MP Russell Brown said:
 
“I am furious that the Government are abandoning Stranraer by cutting ports police funding. A government minister hasn’t even had the decency to first visit Stranraer before dealing this devastating blow. We were close to a solution before the election but the new government have pulled the plug practically overnight.
 
“They have only been in power a few weeks and already it’s clear the Tories have turned their back on Dumfries and Galloway.  Our region is being treated in a shockingly way by the Government. Their ruthless cuts mean we are going to lose almost 200 police offices and staff and now they are walking away from the port.

“They don’t understand the seriousness of the situation at Stranraer. Given that the majority of police issues at the port are immigration related it is recklessly naive to remove Border Agency police officers. Make no mistake - the Government is risking security with their actions.

“This cut to ports police also has wider implications as the police will have to divert existing officers and resources from keeping our towns and villages safe.

“I have written to the Home Office minister demanding an urgent meeting and that they reverse this damaging cut. He cannot simply sweep the Stranraer Port under the carpet.”

Meg Hillier MP, former junior immigration minister at the Home Office, said:
 
“Dumfries and Galloway has already been asked to cope with the cuts made by the SNP Government as they chose to divert resources elsewhere in Scotland.

“The coalition government need to take the security threat at Stranraer seriously. It is dangerous for them to bury their head in the sand and walk away like this.

“Following my visit earlier this year I reported my concerns directly to the then Home Secretary and we agreed that we needed to look at the support and protection required to tackle illegal activity at Stranraer. We were responding to illegal immigration with a triple ring of defence. The coalition government talks tough on tackling immigration abuse and crime but this sudden decision undermines public safety.

“The figures for illegal immigration and counterfeit smuggling are alarming and cutting the ports police flies in the face of reason when security concerns at Stranraer are growing.”

2 September 2010