Small Boat Crossings 2024-10-21
2024-10-21
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Direct Answer
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Context
The criminal smuggling and trafficking gangs that organise small boat crossings are undermining border security and putting lives at risk. A baby died in the channel recently.
What steps her Department is taking to tackle criminal gangs facilitating small boat crossings. The criminal smuggling and trafficking gangs organising small boat crossings are undermining our border security and putting lives at risk. A baby died in the channel this weekend.
The Government have set up a new border security command, led by former police chief Martin Hewitt, to work with other countries to go after the gangs.
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Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q2
Direct Answer
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Context
Organised crime stretches beyond people smuggling, with recent sentencing of a gang in Portsmouth that attempted to smuggle 2.3 tonnes of cocaine from Colombia.
Can the Secretary of State expand on how we are tackling organised crime relating to smuggling drugs and dangerous weapons into our ports, to ensure those things do not hit our streets?
The border security command draws together the work of different agencies including Border Force, the National Crime Agency, intelligence and security agencies, and local police forces to deal with dangerous drug smuggling and organised crime.
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Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q3
Direct Answer
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Context
People in Bristol North East ask about deterrence against illegal working.
What reassurance can I give them that this action is being backed up with measures to stop illegal working by people who do not have a right to work here?
We set up a major programme through the summer, including raids and pursuing illegal working across the country. We increased our work on returns with 1,000 additional staff redeployed to enforce rules.
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Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q4
Partial Answer
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Context
Dangerous foreign criminals use ECHR as a loophole to remain in UK.
Does the Home Secretary agree that it is time to leave the ECHR and restore the sovereignty of our own borders?
We are working with other countries, including new agreements with G7, Europol and Italy, making it crucial to maintain international law.
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Assessment & feedback
specific agreement on leaving ECHR
Working With Other Countries
Response accuracy
Q5
Partial Answer
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Context
Recent crossings of asylum seekers.
Is the Home Secretary considering reopening hotels to house asylum seekers, and if so will she commit to keeping the House informed about the methodology for choosing those hotels?
Ensuring constituency Members are informed is important. We increased decision-making in asylum processes, but clearing the backlog will take time and save taxpayer money.
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Assessment & feedback
commitment to methodology transparency
Increasing Decision Making
Response accuracy
Q6
Partial Answer
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Context
14,000 small boat crossings since Home Secretary took office.
Given the Home Secretary's claim that she would smash the gangs, with £540 million to upgrade the Manston centre, asylum hotels reopening rapidly and 14,000 small boat crossings since she took office, is that the plan that she had for her new border commander?
Inherited a total failure from previous Government with record high number of crossings in first six months. Previous contract lacked break clauses while ours includes them.
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Assessment & feedback
evaluation of current plan's effectiveness
Inherited Failure
Previous Contract Issues
Response accuracy