Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Small Boat Crossings

Monday 7 July 2025 · 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

  • Sir Julian Lewis asked about the high number of weekly Channel crossings, over 1,000 people, and the inability of court procedures to manage the influx.
  • The Home Secretary agreed on the need for stronger preventative measures and highlighted cooperation with France on law enforcement and investigative units.
  • Luke Myer inquired about assurances to constituents regarding dismantling criminal gangs involved in small boat crossings and the progress made in returns of failed asylum seekers.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Julian Lewis Con New Forest East
Migrants & Borders
Context

The issue of small boats crossing the Channel has been a significant concern, with over 1,000 people crossing each week this year, putting lives at risk and undermining border security.

Question

I agree with the Home Secretary that that would be a major step forward. Does she agree with me that, on average, well over 1,000 people have been crossing the channel each week this year, and that there is no way any form of court procedures can keep pace with that? Does she therefore agree that nothing other than prevention, as she has described, interception or, as a last resort, detention and return can possibly be successful?

Answer from The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Yvette Cooper)

I agree with the right hon. Member that we need stronger action to prevent the boat crossings in the first place, which is why we are working closely with France both on strengthening law enforcement, with a new law enforcement and investigations unit in Dunkirk, and on the issues of maritime tactics, because we need those interventions in French waters.

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Q2 Luke Myer Lab Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland
Migrants & Borders
Context

The small boats crisis is a critical issue for constituents, with ongoing challenges despite progress in returns. The situation has been exacerbated by the activities of criminal gangs.

Question

The small boats crisis is one of the single biggest issues that my constituents raise with me, and although the Government have made progress on returns, crossings are still happening. What assurances can the Home Secretary give my constituents that these gangs will be dismantled and that the crossings will stop?

Answer from The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Yvette Cooper)

My hon. Friend is right to refer both to returns—we have increased returns of failed asylum seekers by more than 20% since the election—and to the action against the criminal gangs. We know that there are Iraqi Kurdish gangs in particular operating in northern France, so we have a new agreement in place with the French Government, the Iraqi Government and the Kurdistan Regional Government, to pursue those gangs.

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