Business of the House

Jacob Young Excerpts

Thursday 6th January 2022 Commons Chamber

[Mr Rees-Mogg]

We have already discussed the VAT issue and the difficult decisions any Chancellor always has to make on where taxation falls to ensure that what the country wishes to afford can be paid for. But there is targeted support for those being hit most, such as the £500 million household support fund and the warm home discount, and I have already mentioned the £4.2 billion being spent to help people suffering from the rising cost of living. So the Government are very conscious of this, but my hon. Friend is a very effective campaigner, and I am sure this is not the last we will hear of this important issue.

[Jacob Young (Redcar) (Con)]

In 2021 more than 28,000 people left the safe haven of France and arrived illegally in the UK by small boat. Will the Government consider declaring this crisis in the channel a national emergency, and in addition to the Nationality and Borders Bill currently in the House of Lords will they consider emergency legislation so that in 2022 we are able to control our borders, no more lives are needlessly lost at sea and the criminals profiteering on the backs of human misery are brought to justice?

[Mr Rees-Mogg]

I wonder how often France has been called “safe” in this Chamber over the centuries, but I think we can accept that it is safe for most refugees— except for those who do not like garlic, who may need to escape. What has been going on in the channel is appalling and should concern us all, because it is led by people smugglers; it is led by evil people and it has led to deaths, and we need to prevent further lives from being lost on this dangerous crossing and break the business model of the criminal gangs who exploit desperation.

Since the joint intelligence centre was established in July 2020 we have, with France, dismantled 17 small boat organised crime groups and secured over 400 arrests. UK immigration enforcement has secured 67 convictions of the criminals driving small boat crossings since January 2020, resulting in sentences totalling over 54 years. Our Nationality and Borders Bill will give us more powers, including being able to do things like check people’s age so we know the facts when people claim asylum, which should make our system firmer and fairer.