Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps UK Border Force and UK immigration officials based in Northern France have put in place to safeguard the health of staff and those they are coming into contact with in (a) the short-term holding facilities and (b) more widely.

The security of the UK border, the safety of the staff who protect it and the public are our key concerns.

Short term holding rooms in Northern France are still in operation. High-risk individuals displaying symptoms of COVID-19 are referred to the French authorities in the first instance. All Border Force staff continue to adhere to Public Health England guidance to ensure we follow the latest scientific advice and seek specific guidance for our frontline operations.

Border Force continues to work collaboratively with its partners, including NHS England and Public Health England, to support the COVID 19 response.