Major Update on Small Boats as Thousands of Crossings Prevented
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has delivered a significant update to MPs, revealing that enforcement measures have prevented approximately 22,000 small boat crossings in the Channel. However, she cautioned that tackling this persistent issue remains fiendishly difficult to resolve completely.
Enforcement Successes and International Cooperation
Ms Mahmood pointed to specific international agreements as key factors in preventing crossings. She highlighted a recent breakthrough agreement with China to tackle the supply of engines used for small boats, noting that around 60% of vessels employed in these crossings feature Chinese-manufactured engines.
Additionally, she referenced German legislative action that closed a post-Brexit loophole, introducing ten-year jail terms for criminals involved in people smuggling to the UK. Getting another government to prioritise legislation they don't need for themselves, but which helps us significantly, represents a substantial achievement, the Home Secretary told the Home Affairs Committee.
No Guarantees for Future Reduction
Despite these enforcement successes, Ms Mahmood declined to promise that crossing numbers would decrease in 2026 compared to 2025, when 41,472 arrivals were recorded. She acknowledged that current numbers remain unacceptable and emphasized the need for them to decline more rapidly.
I would love to be in a position to guarantee reductions, but I cannot make that promise, she stated, adding that without the actions we're currently taking, the numbers would undoubtedly be even higher.
Returns Agreement with France Shows Progress
The Home Secretary provided details about the returns agreement struck with France during the summer, revealing that 305 individuals have been removed to France under this arrangement, with 367 people arriving in the UK. She defended French cooperation, stating that there has been genuine political will from French authorities who face their own challenges with organized crime and community cohesion issues in northern France.
Ms Mahmood emphasized that the French authorities do not want organized crime operating in this manner on their territory either, as it creates additional problems for them.
Long-Term Approach Required
The Home Secretary stressed that resolving the small boats crisis requires a comprehensive, spectrum response rather than a simple solution. If there were a silver bullet available, I would have triggered it already, she told MPs, explaining that the situation demands long-term, careful, and sometimes painful work to address every aspect of this complex problem.
She concluded by outlining the government's continued focus on enhancing law enforcement measures and increasing removal operations, while maintaining that international cooperation remains essential to making sustained progress against this challenging issue.
