Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Small Boat Crossings

Tuesday 28 March 2023 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 2 Partly answered 0 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Department has convicted 162 people under the Nationalities and Borders Act 2022, including 34 small boat pilots, resulting in sentences totalling 108 years.
  • The Department is increasing the number of judges recruited for the immigration and asylum chamber to address concerns about the court system's efficiency.
  • The Labour party opposed the Nationalities and Borders Act 2022.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Alexander Stafford
Migrants & Borders Justice & Courts
Context

The question addresses the need for actions within the criminal justice system to deter individuals from making small boat crossings across the English Channel.

Question

What steps his Department is taking through the criminal justice system to deter small boat crossings of the English channel.

Answer from Dominic Raab

Under the Nationalities and Borders Act 2022, 162 people, including 34 small boat pilots, have been convicted, resulting in sentences totalling 108 years—legislation, of course, opposed by the Labour party.

Answered
Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Q2 Alexander Stafford
Immigration Justice & Courts
Context

The question addresses the concerns of constituents regarding illegal immigrants using the court system's sluggishness to remain indefinitely and seeks information on steps being taken to boost tribunal capacity ahead of the Illegal Migration Bill.

Question

I thank the Secretary of State for the answer, but is my right hon. Friend aware of the concerns of many of my constituents that illegal immigrants and their lefty London lawyers are seen to game the court system by relying on its sluggishness so that they can remain here indefinitely? What steps is he taking to boost capacity in the upper and first tier-tribunals ahead of the Illegal Migration Bill coming into force?

Answer from Dominic Raab

I thank my hon. Friend, who has woken up the shadow Front Bench team from their slumbers with that one. He is absolutely right. As part of the work I am doing with the Home Secretary, we are increasing the number of judges we are recruiting for the immigration and asylum chamber. That means 72 more judges for the first-tier tribunal and 50 more for the upper tribunal.

Answered
Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)