Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions he has had with his French counterparts on the construction of a new detention centre near Dunkirk.

The Home Secretary has regular contact with his French counterpart, Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin. They most recently met in January where they discussed our ongoing cooperation to stop small boat crossings, which last year saw a 36% reduction in small boat arrivals compared to 2022.

The new detention centre is part of the agreement reached by the Prime Minister and President Macron in March 2023. This detention centre, once operational, will allow France to more effectively return migrants to their home countries or safe third countries.