Britain's customs system is not ready for Brexit - and could still take another three years to be prepared.

That is the view of one of the most high-profile figures in the British customs industry, who chairs a key committee advising the government.

He told Sky News that plans had been "left to the last minute".

Peter MacSwiney is chair of the Brexit committee at the Joint Customs Consultative Committee (JCCC).

It represents the leading players in the industry and liaises with both the government and Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) about the implications of Brexit.


Hauliers' fear over heavy paperwork load

Leaving the European Union will lead to a profound change in the way goods are transported between the UK and the European Union.

If the UK moves out of the EU customs union, British hauliers will need to apply to more wide-ranging, and probably, onerous regulations.

The number of declarations that will now need to be handled is likely to increase from around 55 milion per year up to more than 300 million.

Last month, in a letter seen by Sky News, trade members of the JCCC criticised HMRC for taking too long to pass on vital details about how to prepare for an uncertain future.

"The trade membership is concerned about the quality of consultation with HMRC in preparation for a potential no-deal departure from the EU," it said.

Image: The number of customs declarations to be dealt with is expected to rise to 300 million

"We are collectively of the opinion that members are not ready for a no-deal exit."

Mr MacSwiney said that he agreed with the sentiment of that note, and warned that preparations for Brexit had been too slow, that some systems were not ready and that he had not seen any viable "technological" solution to the potential problem of customs checks on the Irish border.

He said: "I don't think HMRC have taken enough time to explain what we have to do.

"Left it to the last minute and given people no time to prepare.

"If we ended up leaving on 12 April, HMRC would be ready with their infrastructure and computer systems, but the problem would be everything that goes on round that - the way that the information gets put into the system.

"That isn't ready. Nowhere near."

What is a customs union?

Mr MacSwiney's views are significant within the industry, not least because of his close ties with HMRC.

He is a representative on the HMRC's programme board that oversees its crucial move to a new computer system, and he has also been chairman of the customs clearance company ASM for 24 years.

He said: "When Brexit first happened, the industry wanted a three-year transition period and we said that three years of planning would be a minimum.

"And, as we stand here now, we've only had six months since discussions started in earnest.

"The problem for us will be dealing with the huge increase in declarations and the only way to cope with that is more automation.

"That will take between 18 months and two years to get the computer systems ready.

"The process can be very time-consuming and there is a lot to get through."

Included on that list is the enduring problem of how to rethink customs controls on the Irish border, particularly if Britain were to leave without a deal.

"I cannot see that there is a viable solution to the border, and I don't think technology is the answer," he told Sky News.

"There is too much politics involved.

"You can process the declarations but the sticking point is what physically happens on that border.

"And there is no obvious solution to that."

An HMRC spokesperson said: "Leaving the EU with a deal remains the government's top priority.

"For more than two years we have been preparing extensively to ensure people and businesses are prepared for a no-deal scenario.

"The government is continuing with its no-deal preparations to ensure the country is ready for every eventuality."