Foreign criminals could still be working in high-security areas at airports
Last year, the men reported that bosses at Manchester Airport had raised concerns about the issue with DfT chiefs.Around 20,000 people work at the airport - including more than 1,000 foreign nationals.Sir Robert Atkins, Tory MEP for the North West who first drew attention to the issue, said today: "Nothing has been done and it is a disgrace.
The problem was some former Eastern Bloc countries, understandably given they were under communist rule, were reluctant to release data about criminal records."Checks hadow Home Secretary David Davis said: "They should immediately carry out security checks on all people currently working airside.
"They should do that irrespective of cost and as fast as can be done. Otherwise it's worse than complacent, it's reckless."Jim McAuslan, general-secretary of pilots' union Balpa, said people who could not pass criminal records checks should not be employed airside at all.He said: "If it's good enough for pilots it should be good enough for anyone else that's working airside."Liberal Democrats home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne added: "It's crazy to have an elaborate system of checks for British employees but completely ignore potential problems from somebody coming from another country.
"A spokesman for Manchester Airport said: "DfT policy states that people with criminal convictions cannot hold an airport security pass. Like other airports, we enforce this policy by carrying out criminal record checks through the Criminal Records Bureau.
"The government has assured us criminal record checks are only one part of a complex web of security, including full-body and x-ray searches for staff working airside, and the security checks covering airport employees are effective taken in their entirety." Evening News 08/05/08
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