I welcome that the Government has made stopping the boats its top priority. The journeys are illegal, dangerous and unnecessary. I believe they are unfair on those who are genuinely in need of resettlement, as the country's finite capacity is taken up by people coming to the UK from a place of safety in France. Further, it is unfair on the British public due to the impact it has on public services.
As such, I welcome that the Government has developed what is among the most comprehensive and robust plans to tackle illegal migration in Europe which the Prime Minister and the Home Secretary are committed to delivering. I am aware that to tackle the people smuggling gangs the Government has doubled the funds for the organised immigration crime work of the National Crime Agency. The Prime Minister has also agreed tailored initiatives with Belgium, Bulgaria and Serbia, which build on the strategic partnership already agreed with Italy. I am glad that physical barriers have been installed in France to make it considerably harder for flimsy dinghies to be launched.
The Government is making significant progress in reducing the number of people coming to the country illegally. I welcome that in 2023 the Government returned more than 5,000 Albanian immigration offenders and small boat crossings are down by 36 per cent compared to 2022. I welcome that through the Illegal Migration Act the Government has established a Small Boats Operational Command is stopping tens of thousands of boat crossings. I am aware that the number of illegal working raids has also increased by nearly 70 per cent and in 2023 86 small boats pilots and 246 people smugglers were arrested. The National Crime Agency also conducted the biggest ever international operation targeting networks suspected of using small boats for people smuggling with 136 boats and 45 outboard engines seized.
Further, the Government is making progress to ensure that the Rwanda scheme can go ahead. The Home Secretary has signed a joint treaty with his Rwandan counterpart to strengthen the UK and Rwanda's Migration and Economic Development Partnership directly addressing the concerns of the Supreme Court. The agreement is part of the Government’s plan to ensure that illegal migrants can be lawfully relocated to Rwanda under the Government’s ambition to stop the boats – ensuring that people know that if they come to the UK illegally, they cannot stay here.
I can assure you that the Government will not waver on its commitment to the public to stop the boats and that solid progress is being made. The Government will continue to act in the interests of the law-abiding majority who expect and deserve secure borders.