Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions the Government has had with the President of France on preventing the departure of larger migrant vessels from the French coast.

The Government maintains regular engagement with the French Government at all levels on illegal migration and border security. The UK-France Border Security Partnership, signed by the Home Secretary in April, sets out a joint approach to strengthen action across the entire migration route, including enhanced intelligence sharing, upstream cooperation with source and transit countries, stronger law enforcement activity and measures to disrupt organised criminal gangs. The UK and France are also working with wider European partners to strengthen collective efforts to deter irregular migration and prevent dangerous Channel crossings.