FRENCH 'CLEARLY NEED TO BE DOING MORE TO STOP SMALL BOATS

FRANCE must do "more" to intercept Channel migrants' boats before they reach UK waters, Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick has declared.

- Michael Knowles

 

He said it should copy "decisive" Belgium in turning back the traffickers' inflatables to mainland Europe. Mr Jenrick told MPs yesterday that he "would like to encourage" President Emmanuel Macron to follow Brussels.

Giving an update on the Home Office response to illegal migration, he was asked by Tory MP Tim Loughton if the UK was "paying the wrong country" in agreeing to hand Paris £480million to tackle the crisis.

Mr Jenrick said: "Despite elevating relations with France to their highest level for many years, and doing a great deal of work, there is clearly more that we need them to do for us.

"I visited Belgium recently...and the approach that they have taken has been extremely helpful.

"They've worked very closely with the National Crime Agency, Border Force, police forces in the UK and with respect to small boats leaving their shores, they've been willing to intercept the boats in the water.

"That has proven decisive. And now small boat crossings are extremely rare from Belgium. So that is an approach that we would like to encourage the French to follow." Mr Loughton, who sits on the Home Affairs Select Committee, had said the total of boats stopped from leaving France has fallen to 45.2% from 45.8% last year.

But the MP for East Worthing and Shoreham revealed that Belgium is stopping 90% of trips.

French patrol vessels effectively escort migrants to UK waters as crews will not intervene unless the dinghy is in distress and those on board are believed likely to cooperate.

Paris fears stopping migrants in the Channel may increase the risk of a deadly capsize if they try to flee.