France ‘as committed as UK’ to stop canal crossings, MPs said

French authorities are “as committed” as the UK to stopping immigrants crossing the English Channel in small boats, MPs have been told.

The Select Committee on Internal Affairs heard evidence from Dan O’Mahoney, the threat commander of the Interior Ministry’s Underground Channel, who said France had detained 3,000 people crossing in 2020.

On Wednesday, a record 416 migrants crossed the English Channel from France.

O’Mahoney said nearly 200 were detained by the French on the same day.

Citing an example from Wednesday, he told the committee: “[They] stopped a very large rib [rigid inflatable boat] with an incredible 63 people since they left the beach.

“There is a lot of work together and it is paying off.”

However, the former Royal Marine who reports directly to the Home Secretary, admitted: “It is nowhere near the level we would like it to be and that is frustrating.”

O’Mahoney praised Border Force for “doing a fantastic job.”

“Their professionalism and skill is remarkable and the humanity with which they treat migrants is truly impressive,” he said.

The committee was also told that many immigrants are forced into small boats and that some who come to England “don’t even want to come to the UK.”

O’Mahoney said: “We hear a lot of stories about migrants being literally forced into boats, they have no idea where they are when they arrive in the UK, because facilitators are not paid until they do the last leg of the journey. “.

Travel restrictions during the coronavirus pandemic, increased security in the English Channel Tunnel and recent good weather “have had a significant impact on the increase in crossings. [in small boats]”he added.

More than 7,400 migrants have crossed the English Channel in small boats since January 2019.

Abi Tierney, UK director general for visas and immigration at the Home Office, said the number of asylum seekers dropped from more than 10,000 in the first three months of the year to 5,789 in the second three months.

“France, Germany, Italy and Greece accept a much higher proportion of asylum seekers; they stay there and a small number come to us,” he said.

He said that of the 5,000 migrants who arrived so far this year, 98% had applied for asylum.

About half of those requests have been considered so far, he said, with 71% rejected because the UK was not the responsible country – the migrants had traveled through a safe country before reaching the UK.

Follow BBC South East on Facebook, in Twitter, and in Instagram. Submit your story ideas to [email protected].