Non-European travellers have been required to fill out a landing card with basic information about themselves and their travel since 1971.

But under proposals published today, the outdated paper-based system, which costs the public around £3.6 million each year, will be replaced as part of Border Force’s ongoing digital transformation of border controls. The withdrawal of landing cards will not result in the loss of any data that is used for security checks.

All passengers arriving from outside the EU will continue to be checked against the variety of police, security and immigration watch lists which are used to verify the identity and confirm the status of every passenger arriving at UK airports.

Immigration Minister Brandon Lewis said:

We are modernising border technology to ensure Border Force staff stop dealing with outdated paperwork and can continue to focus on security and protecting the public.

In addition, this change will improve the experience for arriving passengers so they get an even better welcome when they land in the UK.

The changes will also free up staff and enable Border Force to better deploy their resources.

At the same time, the changes will improve the experience for travellers as passengers will no longer need to fill out the paper cards while on board the flight or in queues at airports and ports.

As a result it is expected that queue lengths will be shortened and passenger flows improved, which has been welcomed by Heathrow airport. Last year, 16.2 million non-EU passengers arrived in the UK.

The proposals are part of the Home Office’s ongoing transformation at the border which is enhancing Border Force’s ability both to facilitate legitimate travel and ensure the security of the border.

This programme of work has already seen the introduction of 232 e-gates at 21 ports and since June has seen more than a million passengers use them each week.

This has enabled Border Force officers to work on other security and intelligence matters.

The changes are in addition to the ongoing Digital Services at the Border (DSAB) programme, which is modernising technology at the border to improve intelligence gathering on goods and passengers and increase security.

Border Force has also increased the use of Advance Passenger Information, with systems in place to receive data on 100% of scheduled flights for all international journeys to and from the UK.

Today’s proposals have been welcomed by industry, who will no longer be required to purchase and distribute landing cards to passengers.

Heathrow CEO John Holland-Kaye said:

We warmly welcome this proposed change which would give visitors to Britain an improved experience, whilst maintaining a secure border into the UK.

In post-Brexit Britain, it will be even more important to show we are open for business and make sure that we give investors, tourists and students a great welcome to our country.

We look forward to continuing to work closely with the new Immigration Minister and Border Force over the coming years to keep improving the passenger experience at the UK’s border.

Before implementing the proposed changes, the Home Office is today (Saturday 5 August) opening a 4-week consultation with carriers, ports and those that use statistics gathered from landing card data.

It is expected the changes will come into effect in the autumn.

Clarification on UK travel advice.

The Chevening Secretariat is accepting applications for UK Government scholarships to study in the UK in 2018/2019. Applications for Chevening Scholarships are open between 7 August and 7 November 2017, with applications to be submitted via www.chevening.org/apply

Chevening Scholarships are awarded to individuals with demonstrable leadership potential who also have strong academic backgrounds. The scholarship offers full financial support for future leaders to study for any eligible master’s degree at any UK university whilst gaining access to a wide range of exclusive academic, professional, and cultural events. There are more than 1,500 scholarships on offer globally for the 2018/2019 academic year, representing a significant investment from the UK Government towards developing the leaders of tomorrow.

Chevening Secretariat Director, Anne Marie Graham, said:

We are looking for ambitious, professional, forward-thinking leaders from any walk of life. Although there is no single personality profile for a Chevening Scholar, all of our scholars do have one thing in common; they were bold enough to step forward and apply.

If you are chosen for Chevening, you will receive a first-rate UK education which can open doors in your career. You will also become part of the global Chevening Alumni network full of dynamic influencers who have shared the same experience as you will, and can offer mentorship or advice.

There is a lot to potentially gain from submitting a thoughtful application, so if you or someone you know has what it takes to be a Chevening Scholar, I would encourage you to apply before the 7 November deadline.’

Chevening Programme Manager, Louise Thomson, said:

Chevening allows you to truly follow your passions by allowing you to choose from over 14,000 eligible courses at over 150 different institutions. Whilst we expect that your experience will be academically fulfilling, you will also enjoy exclusive access to social opportunities to meet new people and travel to new places.

You experience Britain’s heritage and history, discuss international policy, and interact with high profile personalities at a range of academic, cultural, and social events.

Recent scholars have visited the Houses of Parliament in London, Edinburgh Castle in Scotland, Mount Snowdon in Wales, Old Trafford stadium in Manchester, and the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland. Some have even visited Hogwarts at the film studio where the Harry Potter films were shot.

It’s a challenging year of intense growth for our scholars in the UK. Their academic knowledge deepens, their networks expand, and their ambitions grow, leaving them motivated to return home and strive for progress.’

The call for new applicants follows the selection of 20 scholars from Ghana who won an award to study at a UK university this year. Many of last year’s successful applicants have been sharing their stories through the #ChosenForChevening hashtag on Twitter and Instagram.

More information

Visit www.chevening.org/apply/guidance for detailed information on the eligibility criteria and award specifications.

Contact

The British High Commission Accra on 000233 302 213 200 or High.Commission.Accra@fco.gov.uk

ENDS

Note to editors

Chevening Scholarships are the UK Government’s global scholarship programme, funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and partner organisations. The scholarships support study at UK universities – mostly one year taught master’s degrees – for individuals with demonstrable potential to become future leaders, decision-makers, and opinion formers.

Chevening began in 1983 and has developed into a prestigious international awards scheme. Chevening Scholars come from over 160 countries and territories worldwide (excluding the USA and the EU), and more than 1,500 scholarships were awarded in 2017/2018. There are over 48,000 Chevening Alumni around the world who comprise an influential and highly regarded global network.

The name ‘Chevening’ comes from Chevening House in Sevenoaks, Kent – currently the joint official residence of the UK’s Foreign Secretary.

More information is available on www.chevening.org

The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) on behalf of the Ministry of Defence along with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office have worked together to develop an overseas principal support provider (PSP) framework.

Six companies have been selected as suppliers for the framework to deliver multi-disciplinary design and project management services, advisory services, construction technical services, specialist surveys and clerk of the works duties.

The 6 companies that have been awarded a place on the framework are:

• AECOM
• Atkins
• Mott MacDonald
• Ramboll
• Ridge & Partners LLP
• WYG

The successful suppliers will deliver services overseas for the next 4 years and will work on key international projects across the globe. The framework has an estimated spend value of £60 million and demonstrates a commitment across government departments to work together on overseas procurement.

DIO worked with the Foreign Office, the Permanent Joint Headquarters and other government stakeholders on this innovative approach. The framework helps to deliver the Cabinet Office initiative to ensure consistency and value for money across overseas government projects.

The framework will use mini-competitions among the 6 companies as the primary way of selecting the most appropriate contractor to deliver a project. This will allow departments to share good practice and deliver value for money by ensuring they are all working to the same standards on large overseas projects.

David Graham, Deputy Head of International Projects at the Defence Infrastructure Organisation, said:

We are pleased to welcome these suppliers on board following a successful procurement process. We look forward to working with them, the Foreign Office and other areas of government to lead on projects that support our military personnel who live, train and work overseas.

As the key government departments which manage overseas projects it’s essential that we continue to work together to ensure a consistent approach to procurement of project management and other support for our overseas estate.

The following products were seized from Jodies Cyprus Dog Rehoming, Shrewsbury, Shropshire as they are not authorised in the UK:

• 221 tablets of Alopron
• 100 tablets of Zyloric

These products were not obtained in accordance with the Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2013.