Oral Answers to Questions

Dave Robertson Excerpts

Thursday 19th June 2025 Commons Chamber

[The Solicitor General]

As my hon. Friend knows, David Gauke has conducted a sentencing review that covers a wide range of these issues. My hon. Friend is absolutely right that we need to have public confidence in community sentencing—that is important.

[Dave Robertson (Lichfield) (Lab)]

5. What steps she is taking to help ensure the effective prosecution of people smugglers.

[The Solicitor General]

The Government are taking the serious, robust and tough action needed to secure our borders. That is why we are giving the police counter-terror powers to deal with people-smuggling gangs. We have backed that with a funding boost to the CPS to enhance its capacity to prosecute cases involving these appalling cross-border smuggling networks.

[Dave Robertson]

People across Lichfield, Burntwood and the villages want the Government to get a grip on people-smuggling in the channel after the previous Government’s dereliction of duty. Too many lives are at risk; too many people are making that dangerous crossing. Although it is great news that police are working hard, and have arrested dozens of people smugglers and seized almost half a million pounds of criminal cash, it is clear that we need to go further and faster. What steps is the Solicitor General taking to ensure that people smugglers face the hefty jail terms that they deserve?

[The Solicitor General]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right: it is vital that police and prosecutors work together to bring people smugglers to justice, and that our criminal justice system sends a clear message that people smuggling will be met with hefty jail terms. I am pleased to tell him that an offender who played a leading role in an organised crime group that smuggled nearly 4,000 migrants was sentenced to 25 years’ imprisonment in May.