I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 7 January in response to Question 102330, which sets out the action that the Government is taking to support our Overseas Territories in tackling organised immigration crime.

The current Foreign Secretary has not yet had a face-to-face meeting with her Irish counterpart but looks forward to doing so when schedules allow, and continuing the constructive discussions they have already had by telephone, on the range of subjects set out in previous answers. UK and Irish Ministers and officials regularly meet to discuss issues of importance, including on ensuring the integrity and security of the Common Travel Area.

The UK is committed to supporting our Overseas Territories (OTs) - including the British Virgin Islands and other Caribbean partners - to tackle a range of regional challenges, including violent crime, illicit finance and organised immigration crime.

Since July 2024, the UK has provided over £20 million in security support to the Caribbean OTs, including armed police and investigators to support OT police forces, new patrol vessels, coastal radar systems, and police drones.

Details of our latest discussions with the OTs at the Joint Ministerial Council were set out on GOV.UK on 28 November 2025, and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-and-overseas-territories-joint-ministerial-council-2025-communique

I most recently discussed regional security issues with Caribbean OT Premiers and Governors on 6 January 2026 and we continue to work with them closely. I work closely with Ministers across His Majesty's Government to deliver on UK responsibilities to Caribbean OTs, through our OT Ministerial Security Board and regular ministerial and official level discussions.

The UK works closely with the Greek Government on a large number of issues, as set out in the Foreign Secretary's remarks in Athens on 18 December, including our close trading relationship, our cooperation on migration issues, and our partnerships within NATO and the United Nations Security Council. Further details of our work in all areas will be set out in the usual way in due course.

The UK works closely with the Greek Government on a large number of issues, as set out in the Foreign Secretary's remarks in Athens on 18 December, including our close trading relationship, our cooperation on migration issues, and our partnerships within NATO and the United Nations Security Council. Further details of our work in all areas will be set out in the usual way in due course.

The UK works closely with the Greek Government on a large number of issues, as set out in the Foreign Secretary's remarks in Athens on 18 December, including our close trading relationship, our cooperation on migration issues, and our partnerships within NATO and the United Nations Security Council. Further details of our work in all areas will be set out in the usual way in due course.

The UK works closely with the Greek Government on a large number of issues, as set out in the Foreign Secretary's remarks in Athens on 18 December, including our close trading relationship, our cooperation on migration issues, and our partnerships within NATO and the United Nations Security Council. Further details of our work in all areas will be set out in the usual way in due course.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office are taking on the serious, hard work needed to tackle the global problem of irregular migration. We are getting ready to return the first set of small boat arrivals under our groundbreaking returns deal with France. We have signed a landmark agreement with Iraq to tackle illegal migration at source, and we have introduced the world’s first sanctions regime to target the people smuggling gangs and dismantle their funding and networks. Since coming to office, we’ve removed over 35,000 people with no right to be here, up 13 per cent year on year.

I am aware of worrying recent incidents in migrant camps in France and extend my sympathies to the victims. I condemn these instances of violence which are often fuelled by criminal people-smuggling gangs responsible for small boat crossings. The Foreign Secretary and I, as well as Home Office colleagues, have regular contact with our French counterparts on a range of topics, including strengthening cooperation to combat these gangs, end dangerous crossings, and save lives.

Our new sanctions regime will target the gangs profiting from the vile trade in people smuggling, human trafficking and organised immigration crime. It will boost our ability to prevent, combat, deter and disrupt dangerous irregular migration and hold the perpetrators accountable. This will be a global regime - expanding our reach so we can target individuals and entities that enable and facilitate these dangerous journeys.

The regime will enable us to impose asset freezes and travel bans on individuals and entities, preventing any UK citizen, or any business in the UK, from dealing with any funds or economic resources which are owned, held or controlled by the designated person, and refusing the designated person leave to enter or to remain in the United Kingdom, providing the individual is an excluded person under the Immigration Act.

We use sanctions when they complement other tools as part of a wider strategy. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) will continue to work closely with the Home Office, Border Security Command and National Crime Agency to support law enforcement operations to counter and disrupt organised immigration crime threats.

The new Irregular Migration sanctions regime will be enforced by the UK sanctions enforcement architecture. A range of Departments have responsibility for the enforcement of UK sanctions, including the Home Office, Department for Business and Trade, Department for Transport and HM Treasury. I launched a cross-Government review of sanctions at the first Small Ministerial Group on enforcement in October 2024.  The review is examining whether we have the right powers, approach, capacity and resourcing on policy, implementation and enforcement, with an urgent focus on strengthening the latter. It is being led by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in collaboration with key sanctions Departments.

The Government is required to lay secondary legislation before Parliament to introduce a new sanctions regime, which is expected to come into force within the year.

Given that the proposed regime will be the first of its kind, it is vital that we take the time to make sure the legislation that underpins it is lawful and operates effectively to disrupt the gangs' business model.

In line with the Turks and Caicos (TCI) Constitution, immigration is a devolved matter for TCI Government so the UK does not hold detailed statistics on the number of boats entering TCI waters illegally. In 2023, TCI law enforcement authorities confirmed they had intercepted a total of 4,016 irregular migrants at sea. As of 8 October 2024, they reported 1,142 irregular migrants had been intercepted. The FCDO is unable to provide an estimate of the number of small boat arrivals for 2025.

In line with the Turks and Caicos (TCI) Constitution, immigration is a devolved matter for TCI Government so the UK does not hold detailed statistics on the number of boats entering TCI waters illegally. In 2023, TCI law enforcement authorities confirmed they had intercepted a total of 4,016 irregular migrants at sea. As of 8 October 2024, they reported 1,142 irregular migrants had been intercepted. The FCDO is unable to provide an estimate of the number of small boat arrivals for 2025.

Whilst immigration is a devolved responsibility of the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) Government, the UK continues to support TCI in tackling irregular migration challenges and illicit maritime activity. I visited TCI in November 2024 and was briefed by National Security and Border Force leads, joined the maritime police patrol team and visited the maritime operations centre to see first-hand the impact of FCDO-funded advanced coastal sensors.

Further FCDO support on borders for TCI includes procuring new marine assets for the police that will arrive by February 2025 and funding the accommodation of US air crews based in TCI to improve maritime surveillance. HMS Medway, the Royal Navy's Offshore Patrol Vessel based in the Caribbean, visited the TCI in November 2024 to provide reassurance and exercise with TCI authorities, including the TCI Regiment. I continue to discuss with ministerial colleagues additional support to bolster the resilience of TCI agencies.

Whilst immigration is a devolved responsibility of the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) Government, the UK continues to support TCI in tackling irregular migration challenges and illicit maritime activity. I visited TCI in November 2024 and was briefed by National Security and Border Force leads, joined the maritime police patrol team and visited the maritime operations centre to see first-hand the impact of FCDO-funded advanced coastal sensors.

Further FCDO support on borders for TCI includes procuring new marine assets for the police that will arrive by February 2025 and funding the accommodation of US air crews based in TCI to improve maritime surveillance. HMS Medway, the Royal Navy's Offshore Patrol Vessel based in the Caribbean, visited the TCI in November 2024 to provide reassurance and exercise with TCI authorities, including the TCI Regiment. I continue to discuss with ministerial colleagues additional support to bolster the resilience of TCI agencies.

Whilst immigration is a devolved responsibility of the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) Government, the UK continues to support TCI in tackling irregular migration challenges and illicit maritime activity. I visited TCI in November 2024 and was briefed by National Security and Border Force leads, joined the maritime police patrol team and visited the maritime operations centre to see first-hand the impact of FCDO-funded advanced coastal sensors.

Further FCDO support on borders for TCI includes procuring new marine assets for the police that will arrive by February 2025 and funding the accommodation of US air crews based in TCI to improve maritime surveillance. HMS Medway, the Royal Navy's Offshore Patrol Vessel based in the Caribbean, visited the TCI in November 2024 to provide reassurance and exercise with TCI authorities, including the TCI Regiment. I continue to discuss with ministerial colleagues additional support to bolster the resilience of TCI agencies.

Whilst immigration is a devolved responsibility of the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) Government, the UK continues to support TCI in tackling irregular migration challenges and illicit maritime activity. I visited TCI in November 2024 and was briefed by National Security and Border Force leads, joined the maritime police patrol team and visited the maritime operations centre to see first-hand the impact of FCDO-funded advanced coastal sensors.

Further FCDO support on borders for TCI includes procuring new marine assets for the police that will arrive by February 2025 and funding the accommodation of US air crews based in TCI to improve maritime surveillance. HMS Medway, the Royal Navy's Offshore Patrol Vessel based in the Caribbean, visited the TCI in November 2024 to provide reassurance and exercise with TCI authorities, including the TCI Regiment. I continue to discuss with ministerial colleagues additional support to bolster the resilience of TCI agencies.

The new Memorandum of Understanding with the St Helena Government has been deposited in the library of both Houses, as communicated by the Minister for the Overseas Territories in a recent letter to the Hon Gentleman. The St Helena Government has also published the Memorandum of Understanding on their website.

The St Helena Government are responsible for any local consultation. FCDO and Home Office Ministers worked closely with St Helena's Chief Minister and her team to conclude this agreement, which was welcomed by the St Helena Government in a public statement after the signing of the agreement.