Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she plans to take to tackle the number of small boat crossings.

Dangerous small boat crossings are undermining our border security and putting lives at risk. The recent tragic incidents in the Channel underscore that danger and show why it is imperative to tackle the criminal gangs responsible for facilitating them.

The new Border Security Command (BSC) has been launched. It will be led by a new Border Security Commander, reporting directly to the Home Secretary, who will provide strategic direction to the National Crime Agency, police, intelligence agencies, Immigration Enforcement, and Border Force to relentlessly pursue and smash the criminal gangs.

Through the new BSC, work is already underway to recruit more investigators, experts and analysts, and new counter-terrorism style powers will equip law enforcement partners to pursue, disrupt and arrest those responsible for this vile trade.

We will continue to work closely with our French counterparts and seek closer cooperation with our European and International partners to prevent further dangerous crossings and reduce risk to life at sea.