Found: Written evidence submitted by The Runnymede Trust: Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill Submission

Found: standards, including the Mental Health Bill, the Crime and Policing Bill and the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Found: For example, there are powers in the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill to enable us to do

Found: Minister for Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls, dated 21 October 2025 Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Found: Lord Hanson of Flint to Committee regarding Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill Correspondence

Found: topic, as reflected in Lord Hanson's remarks in the Lords Committee debate on the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Found: Immigration Skills Charge was subject to amendments during Committee stage of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Found: Legislative Scrutiny: Crime and Policing Bill HC 830 4th Legislative Scrutiny: Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Found: to proceed with the Rwanda migration partnership, but to bring forward a new border security, asylum, and immigration Bill

Found: Migrant Voice’s forthcoming report on visa fees. 32 See e.g., Clause 57 of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Found: The BSC is managing the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill through Parliament.

Found: You will be aware that the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill is working its way through the

Found: , analysis by the Coalition for Asylum Rights and Justice on Clause 43 of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Found: 4th Special Report - Legislative Scrutiny: Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill: Government Response

Found: Government Response - Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill Government Response

Found: The inclusion of illegal meat as a biosecurity threat to the UK within the draft Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Found: acknowledgment that these activities fall within the scope of Clause 3 of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Found: On 30 January 2025, the Home Secretary introduced the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill,

Found: Legislative Scrutiny: Crime and Policing Bill HC 830 4th Legislative Scrutiny: Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Found: Session 2024–25 Number Title Reference 4th Legislative Scrutiny: Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to prevent people who overstay their visas from working illegally for companies within the UK.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

Under UK legislation, access to work is reserved to those who are eligible and have lawful immigration status in the UK. All employers are required to undertake right to work checks on any prospective employee to confirm their legal status. Sanctions exist where these requirements are not complied with.

The Government is leading a UK-wide crackdown on illegal working as part of a whole system approach to tackle illegal migration and to ensure fairness, order and control within the immigration and asylum system. This includes measures in the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill to ensure companies which contract workers to provide services under their company name, such as agency workers or workers in the gig economy, check a person’s right to work, intensified Home Office Immigration Enforcement teams operational activity across the UK as well as the recently announced introduction of digital ID by the end of this Parliament.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions he has had with gig economy operators on ensuring consumer safety from people working illegally.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Through the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, the Home Office is closing an existing gap to make it a legal requirement for all businesses in the UK, including those in the gig economy, to prevent illegal working by checking anyone working for them has the right to do so. Tackling illegal working in the gig economy, as led by the Home Office, enhances public safety and reduces the opportunities for exploitation.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many enforcement actions have been taken against gig economy companies found to have engaged workers without the legal right to work in the United Kingdom since 4 July 2024.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Home Office does not hold an estimate of the prevalence of illegalworking among people using app-based delivery platforms. The recent jointwork between the Office for National Statistics and the Home Office explainsthe complexities - Measuring illegal migration: our current view - Office forNational Statistics.Through the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, the Government isintroducing tough new laws to clamp down on illegal working, including in thefood delivery sector. This means that for the very first time, employmentchecks will be extended to cover businesses hiring gig economy and zero-hours workers in sectors like food delivery.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent estimate she has made of the prevalence of illegal working among people using app-based delivery platforms.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Home Office does not hold an estimate of the prevalence of illegal working among people using app-based delivery platforms. The recent joint work between the Office for National Statistics and the Home Office explains the complexities - Measuring illegal migration: our current view - Office for National Statistics.

Through the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, the Government is introducing tough new laws to clamp down on illegal working, including in the food delivery sector. This means that for the very first time, employment checks will be extended to cover businesses hiring gig economy and zero-hours workers in sectors like food delivery.

Question to the Attorney General:

To ask the Solicitor General, what steps she is taking to help ensure the effective prosecution of people smugglers.

Answered by Ellie Reeves - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)

People smuggling is a deplorable transnational crime, and anyone involved in this dangerous trade will face the full force of the law. The Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill is nearing Royal Assent and will give law enforcement agencies the toughest powers yet to take down criminal smuggling gangs

The Bill will introduce new offences to help tackle offending, such as criminalising the creation of material advertising unlawful immigration services online, the endangerment offence, and the power to seize electronic devices. It will also implement interim Serious Crime Prevention Orders to disrupt and deter organised crime, including people smuggling.

Due to the cross-border nature of these crimes, international collaboration remains essential to disrupt criminal supply chains and networks. This Government is working hard to fix the borders crisis, which is why we agreed a landmark deal with France, where we have returned migrants, as well as increasing international cooperation with Germany and other countries. In line with this, the CPS has increased cooperation with international partners to improve information sharing and evidence gathering for prosecutions.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her article in The Sun on 22 October 2025, on what evidential basis she said that the UK was the destination of choice for refugees.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

When this Government came to office, we inherited an immigration system in chaos. Organised criminal gangs wreaked havoc on our borders and we are still living with the consequences.

Migrants come to the UK as they believe this country is more generous compared to other safe European countries – they continue their journey looking for the best place to become a refugee.

Under the previous government, migrants were entitled to generous benefits including automatic family reunion rights, hotel accommodation and false promises that they will be able to work and earn a living, making the UK a more attractive place to seek refuge.

We have taken rapid action to address that chaos by introducing a fundamental change to the rights provided to those granted asylum in the UK, looking to end automatic family reunion rights and altering the requirements for long-term settlement in the UK. This approach balances protection against persecution with control of our borders. It makes the system fairer, in line with our European allies, and reduces incentives for asylum seekers to travel illegally to the UK.

We will also end the use of hotels for asylum accommodation and explore replacing them with more appropriate sites like military bases. In the summer of 2023 over 400 asylum hotels were open, costing almost £9 million a day; we have taken action to close hotels, with less than 210 now open, saving £1 billion in hotel costs last year.

We have invested £5 million into Immigration Enforcement, to target, arrest, detain and return illegal workers in takeaways, fast food drivers, beauty salons and car washes. The number of arrests for illegal working has risen by 63% since October 2024 and as part of this crackdown we have expanded right to work checks to the gig economy, removing the incentive for people attempting to enter the UK illegally.

We are taking on the hard graft to remove the pull factors and have introduced tougher language requirements to support migrant integration. We recently introduced a new law in Parliament where migrants will be required to pass tough English language requirements and must meet an A level equivalent standard in speaking, listening, reading and writing.

We have removed more than 35,000 people who were here illegally and struck a historic deal with the French meaning those who arrive by small boat are now being sent back.

Our Border Security Asylum and Immigration Bill will tackle pull factors that bring people to the UK illegally, equipping officers with the necessary powers to tackle organised immigration crime and those who attempt to enter the UK illegally.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many staff were involved in conducting the Equality Impact Assessment of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, published in February 2025; and how many hours were spent by (a) Departmental staff and (b) external consultants in its preparation.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

Impacts on vulnerable individuals and equalities considerations are at the front and centre of our work. As required through the Public Sector Equality Duty, the Home Office considers equality impacts in detail throughout the policy development process. It is not possible to estimate how many departmental staff hours were spent as part of this process due to the continuing nature of this work when designing policy. No external consultants were involved in the preparation of the Equality Impact Assessment.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to prevent illegal immigrants from working in food and parcel delivery with access to private blocks of flats.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

The government is changing the law through the upcoming Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill. to extend the requirement for right to work checks and bring in employer sanctions, to businesses hiring gig economy and zero-hours workers in sectors like food delivery, courier services and warehousing. This will apply to all roles, including public-facing delivery services who attend private properties.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to allow Immigration Enforcement to issue immediate civil fines for non-compliance with Right to Work or Right to Rent requirements.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

In some areas where access to work, services or benefits is regulated, the measures require a third party to take action such as checking an individual’s eligibility to access work or rent a property. Sanctions exist where these requirements are not complied with.

In 2024 the Right to Rent Order amended the Immigration Act 2014 (the 2014 Act) to increase the maximum penalty that may be imposed on a landlord or agent who contravenes section 22 of that Act. The civil penalty was raised to £5,000 per lodger and £10,000 per occupier for a first breach, with repeat breaches set at £10,000 per lodger and £20,000 per occupier up from £500 and £3,000 respectively. There is no upper limit to the penalty amount, it is calculated on a per-person basis.

The Immigration Act 2016 introduced the criminal offence of leasing a property whilst knowing or having ‘reasonable cause to believe’ the tenant does not have the right to rent’, which supplements the 2014 Act and is aimed at targeting criminally intent landlords who continue to flout the rules.

In tandem, changes also came into force to reflect that the civil penalty for employers, was increased to £45,000 per illegal worker for a first breach from £15,000, and up to £60,000 for repeat breaches, from the previous level of £20,000. There is no upper limit to what an employer could be penalised, penalties are imposed on a per-person basis. In criminal cases, a conviction for illegal employing a person carries a sentence of up to 5 years and/or an unlimited fine, for the most serious cases, those exploiting migrants could face criminal conviction for facilitation or trafficking offences and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

The Government is leading a UK-wide crackdown on illegal working as part of a whole system approach to tackle illegal migration and to ensure fairness, order and control within the immigration and asylum system. This includes measures in the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill to clamp down on illegal working, Home Office Immigration Enforcement teams intensifying operational activity across the UK as well as the recently announced introduction of digital ID by the end of this Parliament.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will hold discussions with the Secretary of State for Justice on the potential merits of increasing the range of (a) financial penalties and (b) custodial sentences available to courts for (i) landlords who repeatedly house and (ii) employers who repeatedly employ irregular migrants.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

In some areas where access to work, services or benefits is regulated, the measures require a third party to take action such as checking an individual’s eligibility to access work or rent a property. Sanctions exist where these requirements are not complied with.

In 2024 the Right to Rent Order amended the Immigration Act 2014 (the 2014 Act) to increase the maximum penalty that may be imposed on a landlord or agent who contravenes section 22 of that Act. The civil penalty was raised to £5,000 per lodger and £10,000 per occupier for a first breach, with repeat breaches set at £10,000 per lodger and £20,000 per occupier up from £500 and £3,000 respectively. There is no upper limit to the penalty amount, it is calculated on a per-person basis.

The Immigration Act 2016 introduced the criminal offence of leasing a property whilst knowing or having ‘reasonable cause to believe’ the tenant does not have the right to rent’, which supplements the 2014 Act and is aimed at targeting criminally intent landlords who continue to flout the rules.

In tandem, changes also came into force to reflect that the civil penalty for employers, was increased to £45,000 per illegal worker for a first breach from £15,000, and up to £60,000 for repeat breaches, from the previous level of £20,000. There is no upper limit to what an employer could be penalised, penalties are imposed on a per-person basis. In criminal cases, a conviction for illegal employing a person carries a sentence of up to 5 years and/or an unlimited fine, for the most serious cases, those exploiting migrants could face criminal conviction for facilitation or trafficking offences and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

The Government is leading a UK-wide crackdown on illegal working as part of a whole system approach to tackle illegal migration and to ensure fairness, order and control within the immigration and asylum system. This includes measures in the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill to clamp down on illegal working, Home Office Immigration Enforcement teams intensifying operational activity across the UK as well as the recently announced introduction of digital ID by the end of this Parliament.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she has taken to help reduce the number of small boat crossings since her appointment.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Border Security Command (BSC) continues to focus on tackling the organised immigration crime gangs that are facilitating small boat crossings, working with domestic partners such as the National Crime Agency and the OIC Domestic taskforce, and overseas counterparts in a range of countries, to dismantle the gangs and disrupt their supply chains. This work has already led to a number of widely publicised raids and arrests, as well as agreements with France, Germany, Italy, Iraq and other key partners which will increase enforcement activity and cooperation further over the coming months.

The UK-France pilot has also been put into action meaning that anyone entering the UK on a small boat can be detained on arrival and returned to France. So far 42 individuals have been returned to France under this pilot and further flights to France are scheduled to take place over the coming days and weeks. Through our joint working with France, more than 19,000 crossing attempts have been prevented this year.

The BSC is working closely with delivery partners across Whitehall who tackle organised immigration crime, collecting key data across the system such as organised immigration crime disruptions, with the ambition to track long-term impact and support the delivery of operational activity. This will support the BSC’s ability to drive cohesive delivery across the system and ensure a secure and effective border. Working collaboratively in this way will allow us to increase the number of organised immigration crime groups which we break up and subsequently reduce small boat crossings. These numbers will be monitored to ensure we make changes to our approach when needed.

And as most recently as last week, the Home Secretary hosted Interior Ministers in London as part of the Western Balkans Summit. She hosted her ministerial counterparts from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia – all of which are key transit countries for people being smuggled illegally to the UK.

Ensuring we have the right legislation in place to take robust, meaningful action to address these challenges is crucial. With this in mind, the UK’s Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, currently going through Parliament, creates new powers for law enforcement through new criminal offences, expanded data-sharing capabilities and an improved intelligence picture to identify, intercept, disrupt and prevent serious and organised crime.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's document entitled How many people claim asylum in the UK?, published on 21 August 2025, if she will set the reasons why people claimed asylum increased in 2024.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office publishes data on asylum in the ‘Immigration System Statistics quarterly release’. The reason for individual asylum claims is not published. Official statistics published by the Home Office are kept under review in line with the code of practice for statistics, taking into account a number of factors including user needs, the resources required to compile the statistics, as well as quality and availability of data. People claim asylum for a variety of reasons including the country situation and individual protection needs.

In recent years, there has been a stark, and rapid increase in net migration, which simply cannot sustain. Later this year we will set out reforms to the asylum system and to border security in response to irregular and illegal migration, including plans for new legislation building on the new measures already set out in the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill that is currently progressing through Parliament.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent steps she has taken to prevent people that illegally enter the UK from being able to work.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Government is leading a UK-wide crackdown on illegal working as part of a whole system approach to tackle illegal migration from every angle.

The Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill introduces tough new laws to clamp down on illegal working.  This means that for the very first time, right to work checks will be extended to cover businesses hiring gig economy and zero-hours workers in sectors like construction, food delivery, beauty salons, courier services and warehousing.

Home Office Immigration Enforcement teams are intensifying operational activity across the UK to stop businesses hiring people to work illegally.  Since this government came into power, there have been 10,031 illegal working visits to premises and 7,130 arrests have been made, an increase of 48% and 51% compared to the year before (5 July 2023 to 28 June 2024).  In that time, 2,105 civil penalty notices have been issued.

Alongside the Department for Business and Trade, the Home Office is working closely with the major food delivery platforms, including Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat, to ensure they understand their responsibilities in using riders who have the right to work in the UK.

Last month the Home Office commenced data sharing with leading food delivery firms. The agreement enables the Home Office to share sensitive location data of the locations of asylum hotels with the firms helping the companies detect and suspend accounts suspected of illegal working, particularly where delivery riders may be sharing accounts with individuals who do not have the legal right to work in the UK.

Finally, the Government has announced the introduction of digital ID this parliament. It is clear that offering access to the UK labour market is part of the approach taken by unscrupulous criminals to profit from facilitating illegal migration. Providing a single system to prove a right to work, will simplify the process and drive-up compliance.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent steps her Department has taken to help reduce the number of irregular migrants arriving in the UK on small boats.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Border Security Command (BSC) is leading the national response to prevent small boat crossings in the English Channel.

The BSC continues to focus on tackling the organised immigration crime gangs that are facilitating small boat crossings, working with domestic partners such as the National Crime Agency, and overseas counterparts in a range of countries, to dismantle the gangs and disrupt their supply chains. This work has already led to a number of widely publicised raids and arrests, as well as agreements with France, Germany, Italy, Iraq and other key partners which will increase enforcement activity and cooperation further over the coming months.

This summer, the Home Office announced a £100 million funding injection to further strengthen existing law enforcement operations. The funding will pay for up to 300 extra National Crime Agency officers (NCA), state-of-the art detection technology and new equipment to smash the networks putting lives at risk in the Channel.

We have also signed a landmark agreement with France to prevent dangerous small boat crossings. This agreement means that anyone entering the UK on a small boat can be detained on arrival and returned to France by the UK government. The aim is to test the deterrent effect to prevent dangerous journeys by demonstrating that small boat crossings are not a viable way to enter and remain in the UK and to disrupt the organised immigration crime gangs.

Ensuring we have the right legislation in place to take robust, meaningful action to address these challenges is crucial. With this in mind, the UK’s Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, currently going through Parliament, creates new powers for law enforcement through new criminal offences, expanded data-sharing capabilities and an improved intelligence picture to identify, intercept, disrupt and prevent serious and organised crime, including tackling those who facilitate small boats crossings.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle the exploitation of people working illegally.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

As already announced, through the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, the Government is introducing tough new laws to clamp down on illegal working.

We have expanded our work across government and with law enforcement partners to target, investigate and enforce penalties on unscrupulous employers who illegally employ those with no right to work here.

We are stopping exploitation by criminal gangs, ensuring vulnerable people receive the correct support and making sure that those who break the law face serious consequences.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of illegal cross-Channel migration on the safety of women and girls living in the UK.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Government’s Plan for Change sets out our ambition to secure borders and control immigration. We have introduced the Border Security Asylum and Immigration Bill which will give law enforcement counter terror-style powers to identify and disrupt people smuggling gangs. It will introduce a new measure whereby those who commit sexual offences which give rise to the notification requirement in Schedule 3 of the Sexual offences Act 2023 will be excluded from being granted asylum protections in the UK.

We recognise the devastating impact of sexual violence on victims and our communities and are absolutely committed to tackling sexual offences with a manifesto mission to halve violence against women and girls (VAWG) in a decade. We will deliver a cross-government transformative approach to relentlessly pursue all VAWG perpetrators in this country, under-pinned by a new strategy which we aim to publish in the autumn.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps is she taking to dismantle organised people smuggling gangs; and how recent (a) legislative and (b) operational measures will (i) improve border security and (ii) protect vulnerable individuals from exploitation.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Border Security Command (BSC) continues to focus on tackling the organised immigration crime gangs that are facilitating small boat crossings, working with domestic partners such as the National Crime Agency, and overseas counterparts in a range of countries, to dismantle the gangs and disrupt their supply chains. This work has already led to a number of widely publicised raids and arrests, as well as agreements with France, Germany, Italy, Iraq and other key partners which will increase enforcement activity and cooperation further over the coming months.

The BSC is working closely with delivery partners who tackle organised immigration crime across Whitehall, collecting key data across the system such as organised immigration crime disruptions, with the ambition to track long-term impact and support the delivery of operational activity. This will support the BSC’s ability to drive cohesive delivery across the system and ensure a secure and effective border. Working collaboratively in this way will allow us to increase the number of OIC groups which we break up and subsequently reduce small boat crossings. These numbers will be monitored to ensure we make changes to our approach when needed

In November last year the Prime Minister announced an additional £58m to the Agency’s core budget in 2025/26 to support NCA’s disruptions of serious and organised crime. This represents an increase of 9% from their 2024/25 core budget.

On 11 June 2025, the Chancellor announced up to £280 million per year for the Border Security Command by the end of the spending review period in 2028-2029. We have boosted the NCA’s capacity to tackle organised immigration crime by funding 100 new specialist officers, bringing the total dedicated Full Time Employees close to 500.

This summer, the Home Office announced a £100 million funding injection to further strengthen existing law enforcement operations. The funding will pay for up to 300 extra National Crime Agency officers (NCA), state-of-the art detection technology and new equipment to smash the networks putting lives at risk in the Channel.

We have also signed a landmark agreement with France to prevent dangerous small boat crossings. This agreement means that anyone entering the UK on a small boat can be detained on arrival and returned to France by the UK government. The aim is to test the deterrent effect to prevent dangerous journeys by demonstrating that small boat crossings are not a viable way to enter and remain in the UK and to disrupt the organised immigration crime gangs.

Ensuring we have the right legislation in place to take robust, meaningful action to address these challenges is crucial. With this in mind, the UK’s Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, currently going through Parliament, creates new powers for law enforcement through new criminal offences, expanded data-sharing capabilities and an improved intelligence picture to identify, intercept, disrupt and prevent serious and organised crime.

Once the Bill has received Royal Assent the Home Office will report progress in the usual way. In addition, the Bill requires the Border Security Commander to produce an annual report which will be laid before Parliament ahead of publication. The report will include the implementation and delivery of measures contained within the Bill.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her timetable is for ending the operations of organised people smuggling gangs; and how she will measure progress towards this goal under the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Border Security Command (BSC) continues to focus on tackling the organised immigration crime gangs that are facilitating small boat crossings, working with domestic partners such as the National Crime Agency, and overseas counterparts in a range of countries, to dismantle the gangs and disrupt their supply chains. This work has already led to a number of widely publicised raids and arrests, as well as agreements with France, Germany, Italy, Iraq and other key partners which will increase enforcement activity and cooperation further over the coming months.

The BSC is working closely with delivery partners who tackle organised immigration crime across Whitehall, collecting key data across the system such as organised immigration crime disruptions, with the ambition to track long-term impact and support the delivery of operational activity. This will support the BSC’s ability to drive cohesive delivery across the system and ensure a secure and effective border. Working collaboratively in this way will allow us to increase the number of OIC groups which we break up and subsequently reduce small boat crossings. These numbers will be monitored to ensure we make changes to our approach when needed

In November last year the Prime Minister announced an additional £58m to the Agency’s core budget in 2025/26 to support NCA’s disruptions of serious and organised crime. This represents an increase of 9% from their 2024/25 core budget.

On 11 June 2025, the Chancellor announced up to £280 million per year for the Border Security Command by the end of the spending review period in 2028-2029. We have boosted the NCA’s capacity to tackle organised immigration crime by funding 100 new specialist officers, bringing the total dedicated Full Time Employees close to 500.

This summer, the Home Office announced a £100 million funding injection to further strengthen existing law enforcement operations. The funding will pay for up to 300 extra National Crime Agency officers (NCA), state-of-the art detection technology and new equipment to smash the networks putting lives at risk in the Channel.

We have also signed a landmark agreement with France to prevent dangerous small boat crossings. This agreement means that anyone entering the UK on a small boat can be detained on arrival and returned to France by the UK government. The aim is to test the deterrent effect to prevent dangerous journeys by demonstrating that small boat crossings are not a viable way to enter and remain in the UK and to disrupt the organised immigration crime gangs.

Ensuring we have the right legislation in place to take robust, meaningful action to address these challenges is crucial. With this in mind, the UK’s Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, currently going through Parliament, creates new powers for law enforcement through new criminal offences, expanded data-sharing capabilities and an improved intelligence picture to identify, intercept, disrupt and prevent serious and organised crime.

Once the Bill has received Royal Assent the Home Office will report progress in the usual way. In addition, the Bill requires the Border Security Commander to produce an annual report which will be laid before Parliament ahead of publication. The report will include the implementation and delivery of measures contained within the Bill.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to help tackle organised crime.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The government is committed to tackling Serious and Organised Crime (SOC). SOC is a major threat to the national security and prosperity of the UK. It costs lives, blights communities, hampers economic growth, and corrodes the global reputation of the UK and its institutions.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) plays a pivotal role in disrupting SOC and In November last year the Prime Minister announced an additional £58m to the Agency’s core budget in 2025/26 to support NCA’s disruptions of serious and organised crime. This represents an increase of 9% from their 2024/25 core budget.

In addition, on 11 June 2025, the Chancellor announced up to £280 million per year for the Border Security Command by the end of the spending review period in 2028-2029. We’ve boosted the NCA’s capacity to tackle organised immigration crime by funding 100 new specialist officers, bringing the total dedicated FTE close to 500.

We have also introduced the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill to bring forward new laws to protect the UK border and our communities. This includes a series of measures to enhance the effectiveness of SCPOs, including a new Interim Serious Crime Prevention Order (ISCPO), which will speed up the process for placing restrictions on suspects to prevent, disrupt and restrict serious crime. The Bill also brings forward new criminal offences related to the possession and supply of articles used in serious crime, targeting those who enable or facilitate such activity. (SOC articles included are vehicle concealments, pill presses and templates for 3D printed firearms components).

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reduce illegal immigration.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Government is pursuing a comprehensive plan to tackle illegal immigration, through targeted enforcement against the small boat gangs, stronger action alongside our international partners to prevent Channel crossings, increasing the removal of people with no right to be in the UK, cracking down further on illegal working, and continuing our efforts to clear the asylum backlog and end the use of hotels by the end of this Parliament.

All of this work will be underpinned by the agreement we are negotiating with our overseas counterparts, and by the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill that is currently proceeding through Parliament.

Found: Launched a new Border Security Command and introduced the Border Security Asylum and Immigration Bill

Found: people smugglers running small boats in the Channel, including those i n the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Found: In addition, the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill includes a provision to create a 24-week

Found: Following the government’s introduction of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill in January

Found: Following the government’s introduction of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill in January

Found: As well as establishing the new Border Security Command and introducing the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Found: Through the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, the government is strengthening enforcement

Found: The new measures will be introduced through the landmark Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Found: download digital devices to gather evidence and intelligence, announced under the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Found: Under a new amendment to the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill currently going through Parliament

Found: Our Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill introduces new counter-terror-inspired powers to target

Found: The new measures will be introduced through the landmark Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Found: regime will complement new powers for law enforcement being introduced in the Border, Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Found: In addition, the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill includes a provision to create a 24-week

Found: Following the government’s introduction of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill in January

Found: Following the government’s introduction of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill in January

Found: Consumers Act 2024 • Automated Vehicles Act 2024 • Armed Forces Commissioner Bill • Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Found: We have provided prosecutorial expertise on the Crime and Policing Bill, the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Found: Through the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, the government is strengthening enforcement

Found: download digital devices to gather evidence and intelligence, announced under the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Found: updated Customer Service Charter  highlights from our latest conference  a new Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Found: Understanding the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Found: regime will complement new powers for law enforcement being introduced in the Border, Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Found: updated Customer Service Charter  highlights from our latest conference  a new Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Found: and what we ask of you in return, as well as some other key information on the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Found: Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill: IAA factsheet

Found: compliant 36 ‘Nationality and Borders Act 2022’, Part 4, Section 52. 37 The Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Found: 2020update.pdf 36 ‘Nationality and Borders Act 2022’, Part 4, Section 52. 37 The Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Found: to internet providers, as discussed during the Report stage (first day) of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Found: immigration services, as discussed during the Report stage (first day) of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Found: Telegram messaging platform, as discussed during the Report stage (first day) of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Found: related to clause 42, as discussed during the Report stage (third day) of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Found: Through the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, the Government is strengthening enforcement

Found: /2025 from Lord Hanson of Flint to Baroness Lister of Burtersett regarding the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Found: Letter dated 24/10/2025 from Lord Katz to Baroness Chakrabarti regarding the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Found: Letter dated 24/10/2025 from Lord Katz to Baroness Coussins regarding the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Found: Letter dated 24/10/2025 from Lord Lemos to Baroness Hamwee regarding the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Found: Letter dated 24/10/2025 from Lord Katz to Lord Harper regarding the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Found: assessment decisions, as discussed during the Committee stage (fourth day) of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Found: asylum caseworkers, as discussed during the Committee stage (fourth day) of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Found: small boat arrivals, as discussed during the Committee stage (fourth day) of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Found: Refugee Convention, as discussed during the Committee stage (fifth day) of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Found: German regarding questions raised during the Committee stage (fifth day) of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Found: and Asylum Act 2002, as discussed during the Committee stage (fifth day) of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Found: legal aid more broadly, as discussed during the Committee stage (fifth day) of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Found: problems with eVisas, as discussed during the Committee stage (fifth day) of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Found: and Asylum Act 2002, as discussed during the committee stage (fourth day) of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Found: timeframe for appeals, as discussed during the Committee stage (fifth day) of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Found: Letter dated 12/09/2025 from Lord Hanson of Flint to Lord German regarding the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Found: dated 23/09/2025 from Lord Lemos to Lord German regarding issues raised during the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Found: from Lord Katz to Lord Cameron of Lochiel regarding an issue raised during the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Found: Letter dated 23/09/2025 from Lord Katz to Lord Murray of Blidworth regarding the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Found: UK-France agreement, as discussed during the Committee Stage (fifth day) of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Found: year on the basis of trust, mutual respect, and shared purpose, such as on the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Found: suitable licensing system to reduce related harm.The UK Government passed the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Found: The UK Government passed the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill in March 2025 which included

Found: In January 2025, the UK Government introduced the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill 202545

Found: Partial consent grantedviii Employment Rights Bill 26 June 2025 Consent granted Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Found: grantedxx Employment Rights Bill Consent recommended 26 June 2025 Consent granted Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill