Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to apprehend people smugglers operating routes into the UK.

This Government remains focused on doing everything we can to disrupt the people-smuggling gangs responsible for the dangerous Channel crossings. Our law enforcement agencies work tirelessly to tackle the criminal networks who facilitate people smuggling from source countries to Europe and then the UK, knowingly putting people in life-threatening situations.

Since its inception in 2015, the UK’s dedicated Organised Immigration Crime (OIC) taskforce has achieved more than 1,400 arrests (both in the UK and overseas), with suspects sentenced to more than 1,300 years in prison.

Following the Prime Minister’s commitment on 13 December to stop the dangerous small boats crossings, co-ordinated by ruthless, organised criminals. And every single journey risks the lives of women, children and - we should be honest - mostly men at sea.

That is why we are doubling the funding for the Operation Invigor. The increased funding will aim to double the number of disruptions and enforcement activity against OIC and the criminal gangs that facilitate it.