David Bolt, the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration (ICIBI), carried out an extensive review of ways migrants illegally enter the country, including looking at the hazardous route across the English Channel in small boats, mainly from France. The recent heatwave has seen unprecedented numbers of migrants make the crossing, with boats intercepted almost daily over the past two weeks.
A total of 71 migrants arrived in the UK on Wednesday, travelling in six boats, with the peak so far on August 6 when 235 migrants were picked up by the Border Force.
There have been more than 4,000 people arriving into the country in this way since January – more than double the around 2,000 for the whole of 2019.
Mr Bolt, who has previously found failings in border controls at various ports and airports across the UK during his inspections, carried out a “clandestine entry” inspection which looked at ways migrants enter the country illegally via the Channel and other coastal ports, hidden in lorries, and through airports and the use of false ID documents.
He submitted his extensive report to the Home Office for its observations on March 13, but there has yet to even be a response.
A report into how to tackle the English Channel refugee crisis has been delayed (Image: GETTY)
The Home Office had previously pledged to respond to and then publish such reports within eight weeks of their receipt.
Alp Mehmet, Chairman of Migration Watch UK, which campaigns for better immigration controls said the inspector’s observations were crucial in tackling the Channel crisis and called for the urgent release of the report.
He said: “As the Channel situation worsens, there is a dearth of official data. This is yet another example of the government sitting on information that the public have a right to know.
“The Chief Inspector’s observations will be crucial in helping tackle this massive problem and the government should make the report available without further delay.
David Bolt, the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration (ICIBI), carried out an extensive review of ways migrants illegally enter the country (Image: GETTY )
“The Home Office has provided no reason to the inspector for the delay.
A spokesman for the inspector said: “The Chief Inspector regularly raises delays in publication with the Home Office but has not received an explanation of the reasons for the delay in the case of this report.”
Due to the weeks of delays, the report can now not be published until September when Parliament reopens.
A Home Office spokeswoman said: “It is important that we give full consideration to ICIBI reports, some of which relate to complex and evolving issues.“The government is committed to being open and transparent, so the report will be published as soon as possible.”
But, the Government has come under fire for its “poor” response to the crisis since boats began arriving in 2018.
Then Home Secretary Sajid Javid pledged in January 2019 that any migrants who arrived into the UK from a safe country such as France would be returned.
He struck a deal to this effect with the French, providing them with millions of pounds to pay for patrols and deployed the Navy for patrols into British waters.
In August 2019 Boris Johnson reiterated that people arriving from France on boats would be “sent back”.
But, figures released by the Home Office show that of the more than 6,000 people who have arrived since 2018 only about 160 have actually been returned.
Home Secretary Priti Patel pledged late last year that by Spring 2020 the Channel crossings would have been virtually eradicated.
Since the Spring the numbers of crossings increased to their highest ever levels.
Mr Mehmet added: “Only a tiny share of over 5,000 detected Channel arrivals since last summer have been removed to the EU. “That tells you all you need to know about the government’s woeful performance.
“Tough words are not enough. Effective action is what is needed, including the immediate return of anyone making the attempt.”
A new report published by Migration Watch this week said the number of people detected entering the country by clandestine methods was rising with 46,900 attempts detected between November 2018 and October 2019, compared to 40,800 in the same period in 2018.
The report said the small number of Channel Migrants being returned suggested that the majority were making asylum claims, joining a current population of around 150,000 asylum seekers already here.
It said our current asylum system, with many benefits, was attracting people to make the dangerous crossings.
Even those who do not make asylum claims, or have claims refused, are not automatically deported or detained and can, in some cases, be given housing and money, according to the report.
Claimants, and even failed asylum seekers, who are eligible, are given rent-free accommodation and weekly £39.60 payments for food, clothes and toiletries plus free prescriptions and other health checks, the report said.
There are 4,000 rooms in hotels across the country, some of four stars, that are being used as asylum seeker accommodation since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, said Migration Watch.
Mr Mehmet said: “The government have lost control of illegal immigration across the Channel.
As well as deterring people from setting out, they must address the pull factors. A major review is essential, including revision of the law on payments to asylum seekers.”
