Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Pursuant to WPQ 118152, on how many occasions were Border Force personnel involved in dealing with the more than five hundred sanctioned shadow fleet vessels.

Border Force is a law enforcement command within the Home Office. We secure the UK border by carrying out immigration and customs controls for people and goods entering the UK.

Maritime teams in the Home Office maintain a permanent presence around the UK as part of its maritime border security. This involves the deployment of Cutters, Coastal Patrol Vessels and other maritime assets.

The vessels are regularly out on proactive patrol, but we do not comment on specific operational deployments or operations.