Written question asked by Lord Hylton (Crossbench) on Tuesday, 13 April 2021, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 27 April 2021. It was answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Conservative) on Tuesday, 27 April 2021 on behalf of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Turkey: Refugees

Question: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that refugees have been prevented from reaching the EU by the Frontex border agency, in particular refugees travelling from Turkey; and what steps they intend to take in response to such reports.

Answer: The Minister for the European Neighbourhood and the Americas, Wendy Morton MP, is aware of the allegations of "pushbacks" conducted by Frontex in the Aegean Sea and is monitoring the situation via the British Embassy in Athens. Greece has denied using any illegal practices. Minister Morton understands that Frontex has conducted an internal investigation into the allegations, and that the European Parliament has established a permanent standing committee in order to scrutinise Frontex activity in the Aegean. HMA Athens raised this issue with Greek Migration Minister Mitarakis on 10 March 2021 and we will continue to urge all parties to uphold international human rights standards in respect of the migrants and to avoid any actions that may endanger human life.

Secondary information