PM says loss of EuroDAC data has weakened UK border control

The Prime Minister has said the UK is in a weaker position on immigration because it can no longer access European Union asylum data, including the EuroDAC system. He told the Commons that the loss of that information had made border control harder and urged MPs from all parties to back the British position in the next phase of negotiations with the EU.

His comments came during an exchange with a Labour MP, who said she was relieved he would not take lessons from the previous Conservative government on negotiating with Europe. She accused the Tories of letting an 'irrational hatred of anything to do with Europe' shape their decisions. She said that approach had taken the UK out of a bio-food security alert, leaving British farmers without warnings about foot and mouth disease, and out of EuroDAC, leaving the UK without asylum data.

The MP asked the Prime Minister to assure her and her constituents that he would not let 'Tory mistakes' make border control and British farming harder, and that he would put the national interest first, seek the data and ensure future cooperation with Europe.

The Prime Minister agreed that she was right to raise the loss of immigration control caused by the inability to access data across the EU. He said those who promoted the departure from those arrangements needed to take it on board and be held accountable. The UK, he said, was in a weaker position on controlling immigration than it had been just over 10 years ago.

He said it was important that all sides of the House supported the British position as negotiations with the EU moved into the next phase. He asked whether any MP was seriously saying they did not want access again to European immigration information, adding that if they were, they should be honest about it.

The Speaker reminded members to address remarks through the chair to avoid personal attacks. The session then moved on to other subjects.