Letters and Proformas from IDI Chap 25 FOI

Performance Management Team

Assurance Performance & Resource Directorate

The Border Force

UK Border Agency

2^nd Floor, Green Park House

Croydon, CR0 2AJ

Andrew Watson

[FOI #24383 email]

Our Ref: 13541

Your Ref:

Date: 23/12/2009

Dear Mr Watson,

Thank you for your email of 8^th December where you have requested information about whether the Home Office collects statistics on the length of time passengers wait in the "EU passport" and "Other passport" queues at UK borders, and, if such data is gathered, to view the most detailed statistics available for the period since 1999, preferably broken down monthly by point of entry.

This falls to be dealt with under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Information on queue waiting times has been recorded in the UK Border Agency (formerly Border and Immigration Agency) since 2007. The following tables show monthly waiting times at ports since December 2007, both nationally and broken down by Border Force region.

Dec-07
	Region	Average queue time [h:mm]	Longest queue time [h:mm]
EEA (European Economic Area)	Central	0:08	1:11
	European Ops	not available	not available
	Heathrow	0:05	0:35
	North	0:13	1:05
	South	0:11	0:45
	Overall	0:10	1:11

non-EEA (non-European Economic Area)	Central	0:06	0:49
	European Ops	not applicable*	not applicable*
	Heathrow	0:09	0:40
	North	0:10	1:00
	South	0:15	1:12
	Overall	0:10	1:12

Jan-08
	Region	Average queue time [h:mm]	Longest queue time [h:mm]
EEA (European Economic Area)	Central	0:08	0:45
	European Ops	not available	not available
	Heathrow	0:04	0:39
	North	0:12	1:00
	South	0:11	0:40
	Overall	0:09	1:00

non-EEA (non-European Economic Area)	Central	0:08	1:30
	European Ops	not applicable*	not applicable*
	Heathrow	0:09	0:55
	North	0:10	1:45
	South	0:14	1:30
	Overall	0:10	1:45

Feb-08
	Region	Average queue time [h:mm]	Longest queue time [h:mm]
EEA (European Economic Area)	Central	0:09	0:52
	European Ops	not available	not available
	Heathrow	0:05	0:33
	North	0:13	1:04
	South	0:11	0:35
	Overall	0:10	1:04

non-EEA (non-European Economic Area)	Central	0:07	1:14
	European Ops	not applicable*	not applicable*
	Heathrow	0:10	0:52
	North	0:09	1:26
	South	0:13	1:00
	Overall	0:10	1:26

Mar-08
	Region	Average queue time [h:mm]	Longest queue time [h:mm]
EEA (European Economic Area)	Central	0:09	0:50
	European Ops	not available	not available
	Heathrow	0:04	0:25
	North	0:13	1:13
	South	0:11	0:35
	Overall	0:10	1:13

non-EEA (non-European Economic Area)	Central	0:06	0:55
	European Ops	not applicable*	not applicable*
	Heathrow	0:10	1:10
	North	0:10	1:25
	South	0:14	1:20
	Overall	0:10	1:25

Apr-08
	Region	Average queue time [h:mm]	Longest queue time [h:mm]
EEA (European Economic Area)	Central	0:09	0:35
	European Ops	not available	not available
	Heathrow	0:05	0:58
	North	0:13	1:16
	South	0:12	0:59
	Overall	0:10	1:16

non-EEA (non-European Economic Area)	Central	0:07	0:46
	European Ops	not applicable*	not applicable*
	Heathrow	0:11	1:39
	North	0:10	1:42
	South	0:14	1:10
	Overall	0:10	1:42

May-08
	Region	Average queue time [h:mm]	Longest queue time [h:mm]
EEA (European Economic Area)	Central	0:10	0:59
	European Ops	0:05	1:30
	Heathrow	0:04	0:43
	North	0:12	0:58
	South	0:10	1:35
	Overall	0:09	1:35

non-EEA (non-European Economic Area)	Central	0:06	1:29
	European Ops	not applicable*	not applicable*
	Heathrow	0:12	1:25
	North	0:10	1:49
	South	0:15	1:30
	Overall	0:11	1:49

Jun-08
	Region	Average queue time [h:mm]	Longest queue time [h:mm]
EEA (European Economic Area)	Central	0:10	0:51
	European Ops	0:05	1:59
	Heathrow	0:05	0:55
	North	0:13	1:15
	South	0:16	1:35
	Overall	0:09	1:59

non-EEA (non-European Economic Area)	Central	0:07	0:51
	European Ops	not applicable*	not applicable*
	Heathrow	0:15	1:20
	North	0:10	1:35
	South	0:20	2:15
	Overall	0:12	2:15

Jul-08
	Region	Average queue time [h:mm]	Longest queue time [h:mm]
EEA (European Economic Area)	Central	0:10	0:37
	European Ops	0:05	1:36
	Heathrow	0:04	0:45
	North	0:13	1:02
	South	0:17	1:40
	Overall	0:10	1:40

non-EEA (non-European Economic Area)	Central	0:10	1:11
	European Ops	not applicable*	not applicable*
	Heathrow	0:14	1:05
	North	0:11	2:10
	South	0:21	2:00
	Overall	0:12	2:10

Aug-08
	Region	Average queue time [h:mm]	Longest queue time [h:mm]
EEA (European Economic Area)	Central	0:11	0:58
	European Ops	0:05	1:01
	Heathrow	0:05	1:00
	North	0:13	1:17
	South	0:17	1:30
	Overall	0:10	1:30

non-EEA (non-European Economic Area)	Central	0:07	1:14
	European Ops	not applicable*	not applicable*
	Heathrow	0:10	1:30
	North	0:10	1:47
	South	0:17	1:30
	Overall	0:10	1:47

Sep-08
	Region	Average queue time [h:mm]	Longest queue time [h:mm]
EEA (European Economic Area)	Central	0:14	0:52
	European Ops	0:04	0:45
	Heathrow	0:03	0:45
	North	0:12	1:17
	South	0:15	1:20
	Overall	0:08	1:20

non-EEA (non-European Economic Area)	Central	0:08	1:02
	European Ops	not applicable*	not applicable*
	Heathrow	0:10	1:30
	North	0:10	2:15
	South	0:21	2:30
	Overall	0:10	2:30

Oct-08
	Region	Average queue time [h:mm]	Longest queue time [h:mm]
EEA (European Economic Area)	Central	0:13	1:25
	European Ops	0:04	0:50
	Heathrow	0:02	0:33
	North	0:11	1:00
	South	0:14	2:10
	Overall	0:07	2:10

non-EEA (non-European Economic Area)	Central	0:07	1:22
	European Ops	not applicable*	not applicable*
	Heathrow	0:05	1:20
	North	0:09	1:35
	South	0:11	1:05
	Overall	0:07	1:35

Nov-08
	Region	Average queue time [h:mm]	Longest queue time [h:mm]
EEA (European Economic Area)	Central	0:12	1:03
	European Ops	0:03	0:45
	Heathrow	0:02	0:30
	North	0:10	0:53
	South	0:14	1:10
	Overall	0:06	1:10

non-EEA (non-European Economic Area)	Central	0:07	1:04
	European Ops	not applicable*	not applicable*
	Heathrow	0:04	0:55
	North	0:08	1:00
	South	0:09	1:05
	Overall	0:05	1:05

Dec-08
	Region	Average queue time [h:mm]	Longest queue time [h:mm]
EEA (European Economic Area)	Central	0:11	0:43
	European Ops	0:04	0:55
	Heathrow	0:02	0:30
	North	0:11	0:45
	South	0:14	1:10
	Overall	0:06	1:10

non-EEA (non-European Economic Area)	Central	0:06	1:25
	European Ops	not applicable*	not applicable*
	Heathrow	0:04	0:59
	North	0:08	0:55
	South	0:09	1:00
	Overall	0:06	1:25
year 2009
Jan-09
	Region	Average queue time [h:mm]	Longest queue time [h:mm]
EEA (European Economic Area)	Central	0:10	1:09
	European Ops	0:03	1:00
	Heathrow	0:02	1:00
	North	0:11	1:00
	South	0:17	0:59
	Overall	0:05	1:09

non-EEA (non-European Economic Area)	Central	0:05	0:50
	European Ops	not applicable*	not applicable*
	Heathrow	0:05	1:30
	North	0:09	0:46
	South	0:09	1:00
	Overall	0:06	1:30

Feb-09
	Region	Average queue time [h:mm]	Longest queue time [h:mm]
EEA (European Economic Area)	Central	0:11	2:29
	European Ops	0:03	0:37
	Heathrow	0:02	0:37
	North	0:10	2:50
	South	0:08	0:25
	Overall	0:05	2:50

non-EEA (non-European Economic Area)	Central	0:08	0:52
	European Ops	not applicable*	not applicable*
	Heathrow	0:04	1:00
	North	0:08	0:46
	South	0:08	0:50
	Overall	0:05	1:00

Mar-09
	Region	Average queue time [h:mm]	Longest queue time [h:mm]
EEA (European Economic Area)	Central	0:10	0:42
	European Ops	0:03	1:00
	Heathrow	0:02	0:42
	North	0:10	1:08
	South	0:08	0:38
	Overall	0:05	1:08

non-EEA (non-European Economic Area)	Central	0:10	0:45
	European Ops	not applicable*	not applicable*
	Heathrow	0:04	1:15
	North	0:07	1:10
	South	0:08	1:00
	Overall	0:05	1:15

Apr-09
	Region	Average queue time [h:mm]	Longest queue time [h:mm]
EEA (European Economic Area)	Central	0:12	0:45
	European Ops	0:04	0:48
	Heathrow	0:02	0:35
	North	0:11	0:55
	South	0:09	0:40
	Overall	0:06	0:55

non-EEA (non-European Economic Area)	Central	0:06	0:48
	European Ops	not applicable*	not applicable*
	Heathrow	0:05	1:15
	North	0:09	1:25
	South	0:11	1:00
	Overall	0:06	1:25

May-09
	Region	Average queue time [h:mm]	Longest queue time [h:mm]
EEA (European Economic Area)	Central	0:12	1:20
	European Ops	0:03	0:50
	Heathrow	0:02	0:35
	North	0:11	1:05
	South	0:09	0:47
	Overall	0:06	1:20

non-EEA (non-European Economic Area)	Central	0:06	0:40
	European Ops	not applicable*	not applicable*
	Heathrow	0:06	1:31
	North	0:09	1:28
	South	0:13	1:40
	Overall	0:07	1:40

Jun-09
	Region	Average queue time [h:mm]	Longest queue time [h:mm]
EEA (European Economic Area)	Central	0:10	0:45
	European Ops	0:04	0:43
	Heathrow	0:02	0:35
	North	0:10	0:55
	South	0:11	0:55
	Overall	0:07	0:55

non-EEA (non-European Economic Area)	Central	0:06	0:45
	European Ops	not applicable*	not applicable*
	Heathrow	0:07	1:15
	North	0:09	1:00
	South	0:20	1:40
	Overall	0:08	1:40

Jul-09
	Region	Average queue time [h:mm]	Longest queue time [h:mm]
EEA (European Economic Area)	Central	0:10	1:26
	European Ops	0:04	0:48
	Heathrow	0:03	0:30
	North	0:11	1:20
	South	0:10	1:10
	Overall	0:07	1:26

non-EEA (non-European Economic Area)	Central	0:07	0:53
	European Ops	not applicable*	not applicable*
	Heathrow	0:09	1:45
	North	0:09	1:10
	South	0:13	2:05
	Overall	0:09	2:05

Aug-09
	Region	Average queue time [h:mm]	Longest queue time [h:mm]
EEA (European Economic Area)	Central	0:09	0:47
	European Ops	0:05	1:02
	Heathrow	0:03	0:45
	North	0:10	1:06
	South	0:12	0:55
	Overall	0:08	1:06

non-EEA (non-European Economic Area)	Central	0:07	1:10
	European Ops	not applicable*	not applicable*
	Heathrow	0:08	1:40
	North	0:09	1:55
	South	0:10	1:30
	Overall	0:09	1:55

Sep-09
	Region	Average queue time [h:mm]	Longest queue time [h:mm]
EEA (European Economic Area)	Central	0:09	0:45
	European Ops	0:04	1:40
	Heathrow	0:03	1:20
	North	0:10	1:22
	South	0:11	1:00
	Overall	0:08	1:40

non-EEA (non-European Economic Area)	Central	0:08	1:28
	European Ops	not applicable*	not applicable*
	Heathrow	0:13	2:45
	North	0:12	2:05
	South	0:11	1:30
	Overall	0:11	2:45

Oct-09
	Region	Average queue time [h:mm]	Longest queue time [h:mm]
EEA (European Economic Area)	Central	0:09	1:17
	European Ops	0:03	0:58
	Heathrow	0:02	1:00
	North	0:10	0:45
	South	0:10	0:40
	Overall	0:07	1:17

non-EEA (non-European Economic Area)	Central	0:07	1:24
	European Ops	not applicable*	not applicable*
	Heathrow	0:09	1:55
	North	0:09	1:19
	South	0:07	1:10
	Overall	0:08	1:55

Nov-09
	Region	Average queue time [h:mm]	Longest queue time [h:mm]
EEA (European Economic Area)	Central	0:08	1:11
	European Ops	0:03	0:55
	Heathrow	0:02	0:29
	North	0:09	0:43
	South	0:08	0:32
	Overall	0:05	1:11

non-EEA (non-European Economic Area)	Central	0:06	0:38
	European Ops	not applicable*	not applicable*
	Heathrow	0:06	1:45
	North	0:08	0:50
	South	0:05	0:50
	Overall	0:06	1:45

* Within the European Operations region, both EEA and non-EEA passengers are processed in the same queue, recorded for monitoring purposes as EEA queues.

In keeping with the spirit and effect of the Freedom of Information Act, all information is assumed to be releasable to the public unless exempt. The Department will, therefore, be simultaneously releasing to the public the information you requested together with any related information that will provide a key to its wider context.

If you are dissatisfied with this response you may request an independent internal review of our handling of your request. Internal review requests should be submitted within two months of the UK Border Agency sending a substantive reply to your original request and should be addressed to:

UK Border Agency
Central Freedom of Information Team
11th Floor
Lunar House, Short Corridor
40 Wellesley Road
Croydon
CR9 2BY

During the independent review the department's handling of your information request will be reassessed by staff who were not involved in providing you with this response. Should you remain dissatisfied after this internal review, you will have a right of complaint to the Information Commissioner as established by section 50 of the Freedom of Information Act.

Yours sincerely

Darren Hill

Assurance Performance & Resource Directorate

The Border Force

UK Border Agency

2^nd Floor, Green Park House

Croydon, CR0 2AJ