Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's publication entitled Illegal working and enforcement activity to the end of September 2025, published on 28 October 2025, how many of people arrested under suspicion of working illegally in Northern Ireland within the past twelve months arrived illegally into the UK.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
We do not routinely publish the information you have requested. We are unable to provide this information, as it could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 27 October 2025 to Question 84157 on Immigration Controls: Northern Ireland, what information her Department holds on the outcomes of Operation Gull; and what criteria she uses to evaluate the success of that operation.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
To maintain the highest standards of accuracy, the Home Office prefers to refer to published data, as this has been subject to rigorous quality assurance under National Statistics protocols prior to publication. Information about outcomes and criteria to evaluate the success of Operation Gull is not available in our published data.
Our published national data on enforcement activity is available at the following link and includes data on detected irregular arrivals to the UK: Immigration system statistics, year ending June 2025 - GOV.UK
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been (a) prosecuted, and (b) convicted as a result of Operation Gull in Northern Ireland since 2010.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
To maintain the highest standards of accuracy, the Home Office prefers to refer to published data, as this has been subject to rigorous quality assurance under National Statistics protocols prior to publication. Information about convictions as a result of Operation Gull is not available in our published data.
Our published national data on enforcement activity is available at the following link and includes data on detected irregular arrivals to the UK Immigration system statistics, year ending June 2025 - GOV.UK
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she next plans to publish guidance on the (a) implementation and (b) enforcement of the electronic travel authorisation in (i) England, (ii) Scotland, (iii) Wales and (iv) Northern Ireland.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The electronic travel authorisation (ETA) scheme is fully implemented for non-visa national visitors to the UK. There were 13.4 million ETAs granted since the introduction of the scheme up to the end of June 2025.
We expect carriers to begin enforcement of the scheme in early 2026 and will consider whether the existing guidance for visitors or the industry requires updating nearer that time.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will hold discussions with her European counterparts on removing requirements for (a) proof of accommodation, (b) evidence of sufficient funds, (c) proof of medical insurance and (d) proof of a return ticket from the EU's Entry-Exit System for UK based travellers.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The government will continue to engage the European Commission and member states on their plans to implement the Entry/Exit System.
Questions asked to passengers as part of the new system are ultimately operational matters for the Commission and member states.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, over what period of time Operation Gull has been functioning in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
Immigration officers in Northern Ireland took responsibility for Operation Gull in the financial year 2010-11.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans she has to meet with her Irish counterpart to discuss the increase in the amount of illegal drugs being smuggled into that country.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The National Crime Agency’s latest National Strategic Assessment notes the Common Travel Area, and particularly the routes between Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Great Britain, continue to be exploited by criminals for the purposes of serious and organised crime including the smuggling of illicit commodities.
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland have a strong operational relationship which includes continual engagement and practical joint operations to present a combined deterrent to organised criminals targeting both the UK and Ireland.
This is supported by senior twice-yearly dialogues, which Home Office officials feed into. At these we discuss key issues that are shared between Ireland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been (a) arrested, (b) charged and (c) convicted as a result of Operation Gull in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
To maintain the highest standards of accuracy, the Home Office prefers to refer to published data, as this has been subject to rigorous quality assurance under National Statistics protocols prior to publication. Information about arrests, charges and convictions as a result of Operation Gull is not available in our published data.
Our published national data on enforcement activity is available at the following link and includes data on detected irregular arrivals to the UK: Immigration system statistics, year ending June 2025 - GOV.UK
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people who were born in the Irish Republic have applied for a UK passport through the naturalisation process between 2019 and 2024.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The information requested is not centrally held and could only be collected and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many electronic travel authorisations were issued to visitors traveling to Northern Ireland from the Irish Republic between January and June 2025.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 17 June to Question UIN 59294.