Home Office to fund immigration police TV series

by Alison Donnelly Marketing 20-May-08, 08:45

LONDON - The Home Office is seeking to reassure members of the public that it has a grip on illegal immigration by funding a TV documentary series on Sky.

Border Police, which will air on Sky One in late summer, marks the biggest investment the Home Office has made in promoting the impact it is having on preventing illegal immigration.

The eight-part series follows immigration officers at Calais, Dover and Heathrow, as well as the human-trafficking centre in Sheffield. The programme will acknowledge the co-operation that the Home Office granted to production company Steadfast Television, but no mention will be made of the fact that it has also been partly financed by the department.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has focused on showing the government is tough on illegal immigration since her predecessor John Reid criticised the Home Office two years ago for having an immigration system that was 'not fit for purpose'.

The Home Office confirmed it was co-funding the project but refused to say how much it cost. 'This project has required a lot of clearance in terms of security,' said a spokesman. 'It will show how we deal with immigration and other important areas.'