Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made towards tackling gangs of people smugglers facilitating English Channel crossings.

The overall mission of the Border Security Command (BSC) is to work with our domestic and international partners to tackle organised immigration crime, and wider border security threats. The small boat crisis, fuelled by dangerous criminal smuggler gangs, is undermining our security, and costing lives.

Martin Hewitt CBE QPM has now been appointed as Border Security Commander to lead the co-ordinated response to enhance our border protection. The Border Security Command will strengthen our global partnerships and will tackle the root of the problem by going after these dangerous criminals and bring them to justice.

The Home Secretary has also announced up to £75 million in new investment for the Border Security Command. This will deliver cutting edge new technology, extra officers and further covert capabilities across the border security system.