Response Published
An inspection into the effectiveness of Border Force’s role in Project Kraken at small seaports
Home Office response: 1 accepted, 1 partially accepted, 2 not accepted.
4 recommendations
1 accepted
1 partial
2 rejected
Recommendations
Recommendation 1
Accepted
The Home Office should develop a mechanism to track the outcomes of intelligence generated through Project Kraken and use the information to assess the effectiveness of the project and promote ‘good news’ stories.
Home Office accepted:
Although it is currently too early to fully assess the outcomes of the Project Kraken relaunch, we recognise that improvement work is required. Work is under way to further develop tracking mechanisms in place to enable us to measure the end-to-end effectiveness of the project.
Implementation: September 2023
Recommendation 2
Partially Accepted
The Home Office should allocate an annual budget for Project Kraken work, including an ongoing communications campaign, to enable planning for future years and demonstrate its long-term commitment to managing the project.
Partially accepted:
Project Kraken forms one part of the broader general maritime (GM) work undertaken by the Home Office. We review all Border Force activity on an annual basis and allocate funding against priorities and so Project Kraken will naturally form part of the GM settlement. Furthermore, as Project Kraken is a multi-agency campaign, Border Force will continue to work closely with all our partner agencies to review and evaluate budgetary options as well as strands of activity, which will include communications, for the long-term success of the project. An evaluation / review paper will be produced to feed into established budgetary processes.
Implementation: April 2024
Recommendation 3
Not Accepted
The Home Office should develop an engagement strategy that encompasses Border Force, stakeholder, and law enforcement agency activities to raise awareness of Project Kraken and identify opportunities for smarter working around planned engagement events.
Home Office rejected:
The Home Office accepts that engagement plays an important role in raising awareness of Project Kraken. Project Kraken is already supported through existing forums, notably the Kraken Tactical Delivery Group, which maintains strategic oversight of the work. This oversight already includes a multi-faceted communications plan and so we don’t believe an additional layer of governance would add benefit. Our engagement activity on all projects, including Kraken, will however continue to be subject to ongoing review.
Recommendation 4
Not Accepted
The Home Office should develop and finance its own social media campaign to continually raise awareness of Project Kraken.
Home Office rejected:
The Home Office considers the previous Crimestoppers social media campaign to have been a strong positive step in our communication campaign relating to Project Kraken. The Home Office will work with partners to continue exploring future communication routes. Social media campaigns may feature as part of the overall communications strategy.