Asked by: Tracey Crouch (Conservative - Chatham and Aylesford)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers are in temporary housing and hotel accommodation in (a) Medway Council and (b) Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council local authority areas.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The number of asylum seekers accommodated in each local authority can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/asylum-and-resettlement-datasets#asylum-support
The figures include those in temporary and hotel accommodation.
Asked by: Tracey Crouch (Conservative - Chatham and Aylesford)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many migrants have crossed the English Channel to enter the UK in (a) January, (b) February and (c) March 2020; and what the countries of origin were for those migrants.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The data showing the number of migrants intercepted crossing the English Channel to enter the UK for the months of January, February and March is shown in the table below, including the claimed nationalities for those migrants:
(a) January 2020 – 94; (b) February 2020 – 182 and (c) March 2020 – 187. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
By nationality: | Jan | Feb | March |
Iran (Islamic Republic of) | 53 | 109 | 104 |
Iraq | 16 | 40 | 63 |
Syria Arab Republic | 16 | 18 | 13 |
Afghanistan | 5 | 3 | 5 |
Kuwait Bidoun |
|
| 1 |
Yemen |
| 5 | 1 |
Pakistan | 4 | 1 |
|
Mali |
| 2 |
|
Cote D'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) |
| 1 |
|
Senegal |
| 1 |
|
Egypt |
| 1 |
|
Guinea |
| 1 |
|
Grand Total | 94 | 182 | 187 |
The total number of migrants for the April period cannot yet be released as the figures have not passed through a data quality check and cannot be assured. The figures will be published at a later date, once they have been
verified.
Asked by: Tracey Crouch (Conservative - Chatham and Aylesford)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the number of illegal migrants who have crossed the English Channel to enter the UK since 1 April 2020.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The data showing the number of migrants intercepted crossing the English Channel to enter the UK for the months of January, February and March is shown in the table below, including the claimed nationalities for those migrants:
(a) January 2020 – 94; (b) February 2020 – 182 and (c) March 2020 – 187. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
By nationality: | Jan | Feb | March |
Iran (Islamic Republic of) | 53 | 109 | 104 |
Iraq | 16 | 40 | 63 |
Syria Arab Republic | 16 | 18 | 13 |
Afghanistan | 5 | 3 | 5 |
Kuwait Bidoun |
|
| 1 |
Yemen |
| 5 | 1 |
Pakistan | 4 | 1 |
|
Mali |
| 2 |
|
Cote D'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) |
| 1 |
|
Senegal |
| 1 |
|
Egypt |
| 1 |
|
Guinea |
| 1 |
|
Grand Total | 94 | 182 | 187 |
The total number of migrants for the April period cannot yet be released as the figures have not passed through a data quality check and cannot be assured. The figures will be published at a later date, once they have been
verified.
Asked by: Tracey Crouch (Conservative - Chatham and Aylesford)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans her Department has for the deportation of illegal migrants who have crossed the English Channel to enter the UK during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
It is the policy of this Government to return those not in need of protection.
The majority of countries who are signatories to the Dublin Regulations which governs the return of those seeking asylum in the UK to a third country have announced temporary suspension of transfers to and from all EU Member States due to the Corona virus.
Returns to third-countries can still take place where there is a suitable route of return.
We are ready to resume Dublin returns as soon as travel restrictions are lifted
Asked by: Tracey Crouch (Conservative - Chatham and Aylesford)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether illegal migrants who have crossed the English Channel to enter the UK are being tested for covid-19; and how many illegal migrants have been so tested since the start of the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The processes to manage clandestine arrivals are kept under regular review. In line with Public Health Guidance we are not currently providing routine testing for clandestine arrivals to the UK. In line with established processes, those arriving across the Channel are immediately assessed to establish whether there are any medical requirements. Those showing symptoms of COVID-19 are provided with suitable accommodation in which to self-isolate. There are currently no cases of Covid-19 in the immigration detention estate.
Asked by: Tracey Crouch (Conservative - Chatham and Aylesford)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to help prevent illegal migrants from crossing the English Channel to enter the UK.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
Keeping our border secure is the Government’s highest priority and it is committed to doing everything it can to stop these dangerous Channel crossings which are putting vulnerable lives at risk.
The Home Office liaises directly with the French Interior Ministry on addressing the issue of illegal migration, engaging at an official, diplomatic level and supported at an operational level through regular UK-French Migration Committees.
Through this joint-working, the UK has funded the continued deployment of gendarme reservists along the coast of northern France, who are patrolling constantly in order to detect attempted crossings by migrants. Funding has been allocated, among other projects, for further improvements at ports in northern France and on the ground, this now includes drones, specialist vehicles and detection equipment to stop small boats leaving European shores.
Intelligence flows are also key to dismantling the organised crime groups behind crossings. We have restructured and repurposed our approach to support the growing intelligence feeds which is used to inform and direct how and where resource is deployed.
Asked by: Tracey Crouch (Conservative - Chatham and Aylesford)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department has taken to protect Border Force officials from contracting covid-19 when dealing with illegal migrants crossing the English Channel to enter the UK.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
We take the welfare of the domestic population, our staff and the welfare of the detainees in our care very seriously and we are taking the following further measures in respect to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Border Force and Immigration Enforcement Officers have been provided with facemasks, disposable gloves, eye protection and aprons. Additionally, other items to support frontline staff including hand sanitiser, wipes for equipment/vehicles and clinical waste sacks have been procured and distributed.
Staff use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) when encountering symptomatic migrants, in line with PHE guidance. Specific guidance has been issued to staff about the processes for dealing with symptomatic clandestine arrivals during interviewing, fingerprinting and transport.