Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the UK–France joint statement: enhancing co-operation against illegal migration, published on 14 November, how many border agents or other UK immigration officials will be based in France by the end of 2022; and what role will the National Crime Agency play under the terms of the Joint Statement.

The number of UK officials based in France will vary each day, but will include staff operating across a range of border management, law enforcement, and intelligence functions, as well as immigration functions at the juxtaposed controls.

The UK-France Joint Statement published on 14 November set out the new Joint Strategic Objectives and Joint Operational plan for both countries to tackle illegal migration. As part of this arrangement, reciprocal teams of embedded officers will be deployed for the first time in France. UK officers have already begun their operational training and further visits will take place in the next few weeks including UK officers observing French patrols. Specific details of locations and numbers are, of course, operationally sensitive.

The NCA continues to play a key role in UK-France operational co-operation through the Joint Intelligence Cell which will be further expanded, as agreed within the Joint Statement on 14 November. The Joint Intelligence Cell has been central in the dismantling of 59 organised criminal groups and supporting over 500 arrests.