The UK and France continue to maintain a strong bilateral cooperation on illegal migration. Central to this relationship is the Sandhurst Treaty, signed in January 2018. Articles 2-4 of the Treaty outline our commitment to (i) continued implementation of the Dublin process (ii) facilitating the transfer of unaccompanied minors under national relocation schemes, and (iii) improving access to French domestic asylum procedures.

A portion of the Sandhurst funding package has been used to implement these Treaty obligations. £3.6 million was specifically allocated to funding the development of the Dublin and Dubs process to support transfers of eligible children to the UK, including training for those working with unaccompanied children, family tracing and targeted information campaigns. We continue to work with France to transfer eligible children under section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016 and the Dublin regulation and transfers are ongoing. These projects are overseen by the UK-France Migration Committee, which is comprised of policy experts and senior officials from the UK and France.

This is a Home Office policy area and so I have not spoken to my French colleagues on this matter. The British government is committed to working closely with our French partners at all levels of their government to jointly manage our shared border at Calais and Dunkirk. We have close bilateral cooperation and a regular dialogue with French officials on migration matters

The UK and France enjoy a special relationship based on shared values and priorities, including promoting the rule of law, protecting the rights of individuals and ensuring the security of our citizens.

As part of the Sandhurst Treaty, signed between the UK and France on 18 January 2018, both parties agreed to further enhance cooperation in a number of areas, including illegal migration and asylum. The commitments set out in the Sandhurst Treaty improve joint working with France and support the delivery of existing obligations under the Dublin Regulation and section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016.

In order to implement the terms of the Sandhurst Treaty, the UK made a commitment of £45.5 million. This funding package has been allocated to a variety of projects, including improvements to improving access to French domestic asylum procedures and ensuring that vulnerable migrants are provided with the support and care that they require.

Within this package, £3.6 million was specifically allocated to funding the development of the Dublin process to support transfers of eligible children to the UK, including training for those working with unaccompanied children, family tracing and targeted information campaigns. This full package of £3.6 million was paid to the French Government at the end of 2018.

In working to combat illegal migration, our relationship with the French is governed by the Sandhurst Treaty, which was signed at the UK-France Summit in January 2018 by Theresa May and Emmuanuel Macron. This agreement served to complement and ensure both parties’ commitment to juxtaposed controls as set out in the Le Touqet Treaty, signed on 4^th February 2003, and the Treaty of Canterbury, signed on 12^th February 1986, which provided for the construction of the Channel Tunnel.

We are committed to maintaining a close ongoing relationship with France to manage our shared border; this will not be impacted by our departure from the European Union on 29 March 2019 and we will continue to cooperate with France as set out in the Sandhurst Treaty.

The Treaty includes provisions designed to ensure that the Dublin III Regulation is swiftly operated, in particular for unaccompanied asylum seeking children, and we will continue to work together to complete the transfer of unaccompanied minors agreed in accordance with national relocation schemes, such as section 67 of the United Kingdom Immigration Act 2016.

The Sandhurst Treaty, signed between the UK and France in January 2018, sets out a number of measures to strengthen our co-operation on our shared border. The Treaty presents a ‘whole of route’ approach to reducing the number of migrants making the dangerous and illegal journey to northern France and to manage the pressure on our shared border from those who do travel, underpinned by a £50 million funding package.

Use of this funding is specifically towards improving access to French domestic asylum centres and ensuring that vulnerable migrants are provided with the support and care that they require. These centres provide essential medical, legal and other necessary support in secure accommodation.

Our cooperation with France under the Treaty is overseen by the UK-FR Migration Committee, which presently meets on a quarterly basis. The Committee is attended by relevant operational and policy stakeholders from the British and French Governments. It ensures that our Governments are collaborating effectively and that the package of funding is spent in a way which most effectively (i) tackles illegal migration and (ii) provides support to the most vulnerable.

Following the clearance of the ‘Jungle’ camp in Calais in 2016, French authorities have worked extensively to ensure that similar camps do not form across Northern France. This remains a domestic matter for the French and as such the British Government are not consulted prior to any clearances which take place. Following the closure of the Grande-Synthe camp, we were informed by French authorities that the migrants have been moved into asylum accommodation, where their claims will be considered and the necessary support will be provided.

In January 2018, the UK and France signed the Sandhurst Treaty, which demonstrates our ongoing commitment to prevent irregular migration and to the continued operation of the juxtaposed controls. Our cooperation with France includes joint work to improve security at the shared border in northern France; to reduce illegal migration flows towards northern French ports and to support France in returning migrants with no legal right to be in Europe.

Border Force does not release location specific statistics on the deployment of its resources for security purposes as doing so could compromise border security.

This Government has ensured that sufficient resources are available to ensure the security of the border is not compromised. Security of the border cannot be measured by numbers of staff. Border Force uses a sophisticated combination of experienced officers, intelligence, data, technology and partnership working. Border Force resources are reviewed on a regular basis as part of the wider Border Force business planning process which is led by the Director General of Border Force.

The number of Border Force paid staff in post at the end of 2017-18 was 7,719.