Asked by: Lord Goodlad (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of France about the implementation of the 1995 agreement on the return of illegal immigrants; and what was the outcome of these discussions.
Answered by Lord Murray of Blidworth
The 1995 agreement continues to be used to manage migration flows between France and the UK. It enables the return of illegal migrants seeking to irregularly enter both the UK and France.
The agreement is invoked when an individual without leave in either the UK or France seeks to enter via the Eurotunnel or Channel Port, when we can clearly indicate the time of embarkation and the individual does not claim asylum at the port.
We continue to work with France on this global migration crisis. We are aiming for solutions to collectively address the wide range of factors associated with migrant movements across Europe and the Channel.
Asked by: Julian Lewis (Conservative - New Forest East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what comparative assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of (a) turning back illegal immigrants at sea in the English Channel and (b) picking up illegal migrants and returning them France; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
Managing the illegal crossings by migrants using small boats and disrupting the criminal enterprises that facilitate this deadly trade is a top priority for my officials. They have explored the different options open to the UK and their effectiveness in the context of both domestic and international law. Turning back migrant vessels at sea is one of a range of potential possibilities, and the new Borders Bill includes additional powers enabling Border Force to act in international waters and potentially return boats to their country of embarkation, where there are agreements in place to do so.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many illegal immigrants who entered the UK by boat across the English Channel have been returned to France.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office publishes data on the number of asylum seekers transferred under the Dublin regulation in the ‘Immigration Statistics Quarterly Release’ (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release). Data on the number of asylum seekers transferred out of the UK under the Dublin Regulation, broken down by the EU member state they have been transferred to are published in tables Dub_D01 of the asylum and resettlement detailed datasets (https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/asylum-and-resettlement-datasets). Information on how to use the dataset can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbook. The latest data relates to the year ending December 2019.
Please note, that we do not publish the breakdowns of the nationality of those being transferred under the Dublin Regulation
Additionally, the Home Office publishes a high-level overview of the data in the ‘summary tables’ (attached). The ‘contents’ sheet contains an overview of all available data on asylum and resettlement.
Information on future Home Office statistical release dates can be found in the ‘Research and statistics calendar’ (https://www.gov.uk/search/research-and-statistics?keywords=immigration&content_store_document_type=upcoming_statistics&organisations%5B%5D=home-office&order=relevance).
Full guidance on Dublin III Regulation was published on 30/04/2020 and can be found via the link below: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/882400/Dublin-III-regulation-v3.0ext.pdf
Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has had with her French counterpart on tackling the illegal movement of immigrants from France to the UK across the English Channel.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The UK and France maintain a strong relationship on the issue of migration and those attempting to access the UK illegally, ensuring that the necessary support is delivered to vulnerable migrants whilst upholding security at our shared border. Officials from both governments maintain a regular pattern of engagement on tackling the issue.
The Home Secretary and French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner spoke most recently on the 6th May and discussed cooperation on tackling Covid-19 as well as our bilateral response to migrants crossing the English Channel using small boats. They are due to hold a follow-up call within the coming week.
Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many boats suspected to have been used for the transport of illegal immigrants to the UK have been recovered on the south coast of England in the most recent period for which such information is available.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
People crossing the Channel to enter the UK have come from a safe country – usually France – and so there is no reason why they need to make this trip in order to claim asylum. Those fleeing persecution should stay in the first safe country they enter.
The Home Office does not have published figures on the number of boats recovered as a result of clandestine attempts to enter the UK
.
Any equipment, relating to a clandestine crossing attempt by small boat, discovered is recovered for forensic analysis and investigation.
Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she is taking steps to increase the presence of Border Security forces in the English channel to stop immigrants reaching Britain illegally.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
Border Force and Immigration Enforcement will always have the resources needed to tackle these illegal and dangerous crossings.
We are using all the skills of Border Force BF, the national Crime Agency, Immigration Enforcement and French law enforcement to dismantle and arrest the criminal gangs who trade in people smuggling.
Assets on the ground in France have been enhanced and now provide 24/7 cover of the northern beaches.
And we’re also continuing efforts to crack down on the criminal gangs who facilitate the crossings. The NCA and the Home Office introduced a permanent presence France, with operational leads now based in Paris and Calais, to aid intelligence sharing between the two countries and target the criminal networks involved.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy that illegal immigrants detained in the UK after crossing the English Channel from France are either required to be returned immediately to France or placed in quarantine in the UK for fourteen days during the covid-19 outbreak; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
We only detain people where it is absolutely necessary and there is always a presumption on liberty.
Decisions to detain are made on a case-by-case basis and kept under constant review but it is only right that we protect the public from high-harm individuals, which is why the vast majority of those in detention are foreign national offenders.
We are following public health advice and providing appropriate health care as it is needed. There is no evidence to show that there is an increased risk from migrants.
We continue to work in line with Public Health England guidance; migrants arriving by small boats are not specifically tested for coronavirus but are monitored for symptoms and will be provided with accommodation where they can isolate if needed.
As a result of COVID-19 the vast majority of EU member states have temporarily paused accepting returns under the Regulations, but we are tracking those individuals and where appropriate will seek to return them when routes are available.
The health of those in immigration removal centres is of the utmost importance and Immigration Enforcement are following the latest guidance from Public Health England. Measures such as protective isolation will be considered on a case by case basis to minimise the risk of COVID-19 spreading to vulnerable groups in the immigration detention estate. Further measures including shielding, single occupancy rooms and the cessation of social visits have been introduced in line with the Government direction on social distancing.
Asked by: David Hanson (Labour - Delyn)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much has been spent on additional security at Calais in each month since July 2014.
Answered by James Brokenshire
Border Force has funded additional security measures for Calais at £9.46 million since July 2014 as below:
2014
July 2014 | August | September | October | November | December |
£167,000 | £109,000 | £167,000 | £114,000 | £701,000 | £351,000 |
2015
January 2015 | February | March | April | May | June | July | August |
£193,000 | £98,000 | £6.673 million | £168,000 | £105,000 | £102,000 | £184,000 | £328,000 |
Note - In March 2015 bills for work undertaken to that point were accounted for at the end of the financial year including a substantial amount for the juxtaposed ports’ grant to the value of £4.893 million. The figures for 2015 do not include all anticipated spend.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to reduce the level of illegal immigration from Calais into the UK.
Answered by James Brokenshire
The UK and French Governments have been working closely together to address the situation in Northern France. The Joint Declaration signed by the Home Secretary and the French Interior Minister on 20 August builds on the earlier declaration of September 2014 and cements a comprehensive programme of work between our two countries. Additional French police – along with extra fencing, search dogs and other security measures provided by the UK – are bolstering security at the ports of Calais and Coquelles against clandestine activity.
The new Joint Declaration contains formalised arrangements on intelligence-sharing and prosecutions to target the organised immigration crime gangs and a new command and control centre in Calais where UK and French law enforcement agencies will co-ordinate operations. Other new measures include substantial further security and physical infrastructure improvements, extra private security personnel, around-the-clock searching, additional French mobile policing units and further joint work to return economic migrants to their home countries.
In recognition that the pressure of immigration does not begin in Calais, the Declaration sets out support to frontline EU member states in ensuring fully functioning external borders and to crack down on the organised crime gangs smuggling people into Europe. A copy of the Declaration can be found at
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/455162/Joint_declaration_20_August_2015.pdf
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with her counterpart in the French government on the provision of security at the Port of Calais.
Answered by James Brokenshire
Home Office Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of international partners, as well as organisations and individuals in the public and private sectors, as part of the process of policy development and delivery. Details of these meetings are published on the Cabinet Office website on a quarterly basis.
The UK and French Governments have been working closely together to address the situation in Northern France. The joint declaration signed by the Home Secretary and the French Interior Minister on 20 August builds on the earlier declaration of September 2014 and cements a comprehensive programme of work between our two countries. Additional French police – along with extra fencing, search dogs and other security measures provided by the UK – are bolstering security at the ports of Calais and Coquelles against clandestine activity.