Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to prevent further deaths by drowning in the Mediterranean through the mobilisation of aircraft, drones and satellites, and radar.

Governments across the EU have been deeply disturbed by the fourfold increase in deaths since the launch of the 'Mare Nostrum' operation. Efforts to prevent further deaths in the Mediterranean remain focused on national search and rescue activities led and coordinated by the appropriate EU Member State National Coordination Centre. However, Search and Rescue remains outside the competence of the EU or its Agencies, including Frontex.

These efforts are supported by the new European Border Surveillance System (EUROSUR), which was set up to reduce the number of irregular migrants entering the EU undetected; to reduce the number of deaths at the maritime borders by saving more lives at sea, and to increase the internal security of the EU as a whole by contributing to the prevention of cross-border crime. It uses ship reporting systems, satellite imagery and sensors mounted on vehicles, vessels or other craft to help build a shared pre-frontier intelligence picture.

The UK does not participate in the Eurosur Regulation as that Regulation is limited to the Member States of the Schengen area. However the UK has negotiated an amendment to the Eurosur Regulation which permits the UK to cooperate and exchange information with neighbouring Member States through bilateral or multilateral agreements.