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UK Border Agency reaches full agency status and publishes framework agreement and business plan
01 April 2009
The UK Border Agency, which was established as a shadow executive agency in April 2008, has today begun to operate as a full executive agency of the Home Office. The UK Border Agency's Framework Agreement, which describes how the Agency will be governed, and its Business Plan, which sets out the Agency's objectives for the next three years have also been published. Copies of these documents have been made available in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament.
The move to full executive agency status is an important milestone in the development of the Agency. It establishes a clear accountability framework within which the Chief Executive will have greater operational freedom to focus on delivering the Agency's services. At the same time, the Framework Agreement ensures that the Agency will continue to work closely with the wider Home Office and its key delivery partners, including HM Revenue & Customs, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and the police. Later this year we hope, subject to the passage of the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Bill, to complete the formal transfer of customs functions and staff from HM Revenue & Customs to the Agency.
The Agency will secure our borders and control migration for the benefit of our country, and will play a vital role in the Government's work to protect the public from crime and terrorism and to protect the tax revenues that pay for public services.