Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Small Boat Crossings

Monday 21 October 2024 · 6 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 3 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Government have set up a new border security command led by former police chief Martin Hewitt to combat criminal gangs facilitating small boat crossings.
  • Border security command involves collaboration between Border Force, National Crime Agency, intelligence and security agencies, and local police forces to address drug smuggling and organised crime.
  • Government increased efforts to stop illegal working by redeploying 1,000 additional staff to enforce right-to-work rules.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Damien Egan Lab Bristol North East
Migrants & Borders Crime & Law Enforcement
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.

Question

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.

Answer from Yvette Cooper

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.

Answered
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Q2 Amanda Martin Lab Portsmouth North
Migrants & Borders Crime & Law Enforcement
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.

Question

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?

Answer from Yvette Cooper

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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Q3 Damien Egan Lab Bristol North East
Immigration Employment
Context

People in Bristol North East ask about deterrence against illegal working.

Question

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?

Answer from Yvette Cooper

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.

Answered
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Q4 Rupert Lowe Restore Britain Great Yarmouth
Immigration Brexit Standards & Ethics
Context

Dangerous foreign criminals use ECHR as a loophole to remain in UK.

Question

Does the Home Secretary agree that it is time to leave the ECHR and restore the sovereignty of our own borders?

Answer from Yvette Cooper

We are working with other countries, including new agreements with G7, Europol and Italy, making it crucial to maintain international law.

Partly answered

Not addressed: specific agreement on leaving ECHR

How: Working With Other Countries

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Q5 Gagan Mohindra Con South West Hertfordshire
Asylum & Refugees
Context

Recent crossings of asylum seekers.

Question

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?

Answer from Yvette Cooper

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.

Partly answered

Not addressed: commitment to methodology transparency

How: Increasing Decision Making

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Q6 Paul Holmes Con Hamble Valley
Immigration Asylum & Refugees Migrants & Borders
Context

14,000 small boat crossings since Home Secretary took office.

Question

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?

Answer from Yvette Cooper

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.

Partly answered

Not addressed: evaluation of current plan's effectiveness

How: Inherited Failure, Previous Contract Issues

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