Oral Answers to Questions Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateAlex Ballinger
Main Page: Alex Ballinger (Labour - Halesowen)Department Debates - View all Alex Ballinger's debates with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
(2 days, 11 hours ago)
Commons ChamberAnyone involved in the vile trade of people smuggling will be met with the full force of the law. This year, 67% more offences for facilitating illegal entry into the UK were prosecuted. I am pleased to tell my hon. Friend that the Government’s Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill will allow for more prosecutions, including by criminalising the creation of online material that facilitates a breach of UK immigration law.
My hon. Friend rightly highlights this Government’s global leadership on these issues, which is part of our plan to fix the borders crisis left to us by the last Government. We have agreed a landmark deal with France, and we have increased co-operation with Germany and other countries. We have removed 35,000 people with no right to be here, and increased the removal of failed asylum seekers by 30%. We are giving Border Security Command counter-terrorist-style powers through our borders Bill, which is a Bill that both Reform and the Conservative party voted against.
My constituents in Halesowen continue to be concerned about the number of people crossing to the UK on small boats. They are calling for swift and tough action against the people smugglers responsible for these dangerous crossings, which are putting the lives of women and children at risk. Can the Solicitor General outline how she is supporting this action?
I have heard from Crown Prosecution Service prosecutors about the deplorable actions that the smugglers take in not only facilitating very young children being aboard the boats, but even sedating them to ensure they are compliant during the crossing. My hon. Friend is right that the dangers faced by people, particularly children, when they cross the channel are extremely grave. This Government are absolutely determined to break the business model of the people smugglers, so protecting our borders and stopping lives, including young lives, being put in such danger.