Small Boat Crossings Debate

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Department: Home Office

Small Boat Crossings

Amanda Martin Excerpts
Wednesday 6th November 2024

(2 days, 1 hour ago)

Commons Chamber
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Angela Eagle Portrait Dame Angela Eagle
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The border security command is not focused only on channel crossings; it is much more about using our intelligence capabilities and our operational arm to co-operate across borders, with other jurisdictions and in real time, to ensure that organised criminal gangs can be tracked, apprehended and dismantled. We have given £150 million extra to the border security command to start to do that work. The command on the channel is about saving lives and co-operating with the French once people have reached the beaches. It is far too late once people have reached the beaches; we need to go far back to the origin countries, and do a lot more work there.

Amanda Martin Portrait Amanda Martin (Portsmouth North) (Lab)
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Will the Minister acknowledge the real concerns felt by people in the UK and in my city of Portsmouth about the small boat crossings? Does she agree that the 23% increase since last summer in enforced returns of people who have no right to be here shows what can be done when grown-ups are in the room, and when a Government focus on getting a grip?

Angela Eagle Portrait Dame Angela Eagle
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I absolutely agree with the points my hon. Friend made.