The Government’s top candidate to become Britain’s new borders watchdog, who lives in Finland, “meets the criteria” for the job but should work most of the time in the UK, MPs have said.
Questions were raised about the working arrangements for John Tuckett, who is currently serving as immigration services commissioner, after he told MPs he has a family home in Finland and travels to the UK for work when he needs to.
Members of the Home Affairs Select Committee published a report on Monday after his pre-appointment hearing citing concerns over the “reputational risk” and pressed for the majority of his work to be from the UK.
Asked by the committee on Tuesday last week whether he would expect to inspect the UK’s borders without being a resident in the UK, he said: “I work in (the) UK and I would be in (the) UK, I’m resident in Finland.”
Asked if he lives within commuting distance of the London office, Mr Tuckett replied: “No I don’t, I have a family home in Finland and I come across to this country whenever I need to.”
He added that he pays for travel and accommodation himself and “always have done”.
Afterwards, the Government said Mr Tuckett would work from the UK full-time for the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration (ICIBI) position that pays an annual salary of £140,000.
In Monday’s report, MPs said Mr Tuckett showed “significant experience” of senior leadership in the public sector and meets the criteria for the inspector’s role.
But regarding his Finland residency, they added that the ICIBI needs to spend a “significant proportion” of time in London and carrying out inspections across the UK to be effective.
“We are also concerned about the reputational risk this creates,” they said.
“If appointed, it will be for Mr Tuckett to decide on his precise working patterns but we would expect the majority of his working time to be spent in London, or on inspections.”
The committee also warned the new ICIBI must be fully prepared to challenge the Home Office, after relations between the former inspector and the department broke down.
Previous borders watchdog David Neal was sacked in February last year amid claims he breached the terms of his appointment.
He later voiced his frustrations of the time taken for his reports to be published, and said there “very few” ways of speaking out about his concerns on security.
The committee added the row came after just three of 21 inspection reports were laid before Parliament in 2023 to 2024 in the eight-week time frame promised by ministers.
Home Affairs Select Committee chairwoman Dame Karen Bradley said: “The ICIBI cannot simply be a rubber stamp for the Home Office’s immigration and borders functions. We would urge Mr Tuckett to ensure he remains strongly independent of the Home Office and fully prepared to challenge their work.
“Equally, the Home Office has to be prepared to accept the public scrutiny and assurance that the role is intended to provide.”
A Home Office spokesman said Mr Tuckett’s wealth of experience, including in his current role as immigration services commissioner, make him ideally suited for the role to provide strong independent oversight to strengthen the UK’s borders and immigration system.
“The Prime Minister has been clear that the job is full-time in the UK. Mr Tuckett has agreed he will spend whatever time in the UK is needed to meet the requirements of the role.”
