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Undocumented Migrants: English Channel

Asked by Matthew PatrickLabourHome OfficeTabled Answered 31 March 2025UIN 40901

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on how many occasions a small boat was recorded as entering UK waters with more than (a) 50, (b) 60, (c) 70 and (d) 80 people on board in (i) 2021-22, (ii) 2022-23, (iii) 2023-24 and (iv) 2024-25.

Answered by Dame Angela Eagle

The Home Office has interpreted the question to mean boats carrying a) 51 – 60 people; b) 61 – 70 people, and so on. The Home Office does not record this information in terms of boats ‘entering UK waters’ but as numbers of people who arrived in the UK for each individual boat.

51 - 60

61 - 70

71 - 80

80+

2021-22

38

12

2

6

2022-23

241

40

4

1

2023-24

201

100

31

4

2024-25 (to 27 Mar)

169

176

102

26

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