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Written question asked by Alex Sobel (Labour) on Tuesday, 6 January 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 8 January 2026. It was answered by Alex Norris (Labour) on Wednesday, 14 January 2026 on behalf of the Home Office.

Undocumented Migrants: English Channel

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what monitoring mechanisms exist to ensure that UK-funded activities in France, whether involving public authorities or private contractors, do not contribute to human rights violations against people on the move.

Answer

France is a key partner in tackling OIC and joint work is seeing French personnel being deployed, supported by cutting-edge surveillance technologies and equipment; and more work is being done to disrupt organised criminal gangs through improved intelligence sharing.

Details of UK funding to France and its purpose are publicly available here:

The Government ensures that UK funded activities to prevent small boat crossings comply with human rights obligations through regular engagement with French counterparts, robust governance arrangements within the agreements, and ongoing monitoring and review processes to identify and address any potential risks promptly. These measures collectively safeguard against any breach of human rights while supporting the objectives of the agreements.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
103383
Session
2024-26
Related items
Update on Irregular Migration
Monday, 14 November 2022
Written statements
House of Commons
Grouped for answer
Yes
Subjects
Finance Human rights Undocumented migrants France Monitoring English Channel
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk