Border Force ready to plug 620 staff shortage after Brexit with IT and HR workers

BORDER FORCE is ready to take “hundreds” of staff from immigration enforcement, IT and HR to plug chronic Brexit staff shortages.

Home Office civil servants yesterday revealed they were still 620 posts below the required level to be ‘Brexit ready’. Home Office mandarin Sir Philip Rutnam admitted the 620 wouldn’t be brought in until next summer.

The startling admission stunned MPs on the Home Affairs Select Committee. And it came as Sir Philip admitted a No Deal would restrict the “lifeblood” of vital intelligence generated for police chiefs in the UK.

He said that a decision would have to be made in the coming days on training up staff who currently work on IT systems and HR to prepare them to work across Britain’s borders.

And – appearing before the Home Affairs Select Committee – he admitted Border Force would have to soon begin setting up a 24/7 ‘nerve centre’ similar to those in operation after terror attacks.

He told MPs: “We are already significantly increasing the level of activity around No Deal.

“I would be expecting to make more redeployment decisions in December.”

He added: “We are not at that point but we will be soon.”

“We would have to be switching off other projects and capabilities to move into the execution of a No Deal plan.”

The revelations come a day after a scathing report revealed overstretched Border Force staff cannot stop illegal migrants sneaking into Britain.

An independent inspector said employees were being run ragged at ports across the south-coast by migrants armed with “better intel” than those out to stop them.

Overall, Home Office officials claimed they were 1,400 short of its target staffing level for Brexit preparations - including the shortfall at the Border Office.

Labour’s Yvette Cooper, HASC chair, said it was a “pretty stonking great gap”.

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