Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Irregular Migration: Channel Crossings

Monday 18 September 2023 · 3 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Department is taking steps to reduce the number of small boats transporting irregular migrants across the English Channel, with a reported 20% decrease in arrivals.
  • The use of hotels to house asylum seekers is described as unacceptable, with the Department aiming to open fewer hotels by standing up large sites and vessels.
  • The response suggests that recruiting more police and investigators to combat criminal gangs is not the primary solution, advocating instead for a deterrent approach, including agreements with countries like Rwanda.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Andrea Leadsom Con
Migrants & Borders
Context

The number of small boats transporting irregular migrants across the Channel has significantly increased, causing concern among MPs and constituents.

Question

What steps her Department is taking to reduce the number of small boats transporting irregular migrants across the English channel?

Answer from Suella Braverman

We remain determined to stop the boats and deter people from making these dangerous journeys to the UK, and we are making progress. The number of arrivals is 20% down, the legacy backlog has nearly halved, and the number of Albanian arrivals has fallen by 90% this year.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer does not address specific steps or commitments to reducing small boat crossings beyond general progress reports.

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Q2 Andrea Leadsom Con
Asylum & Refugees
Context

A hotel in the questioner's constituency is accommodating illegal migrants, raising concerns about cost and access to services for local residents.

Question

What can my right hon. and learned Friend tell them about how soon the use of hotels for illegal migrants will end?

Answer from Suella Braverman

It is totally unacceptable that too many towns and cities around the country now house the 45,000 asylum seekers who are in hotels, costing the British taxpayer £6 million a day. We are standing up large sites and vessels around the country and maximising the use of hotels to open fewer.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer does not provide a specific timeline or steps for ending the practice of housing illegal migrants in hotels, instead focusing on cost and comparison with Labour's policies.

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Q3 Dan Jarvis Lab Barnsley North
Immigration Migrants & Borders
Context

The number of people arriving on small boats is now 150 times higher than five years ago, and convictions of people smugglers have dropped by 30%.

Question

Would taxpayers' money be better spent recruiting hundreds more police and investigators to defeat the criminal gang networks and prevent the dangerous boat crossings?

Answer from Suella Braverman

We need a robust and honest approach to dealing with this problem. Opening our doors to thousands of migrants from the EU is not the solution. We need a deterrent, which is why our agreement with Rwanda will work based on what has worked in other countries such as Australia.

Not addressed: The answer does not address whether taxpayer money would be better spent recruiting police and investigators; instead it defends the Rwanda plan.

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