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Undocumented Migrants: English Channel

Asked by Sarah PochinReform UKHome OfficeTabled Answered 8 September 2026UIN 25904

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of arrangements for returning people who arrive in the United Kingdom by small boat.

Answered by Home Office

Returns of those with no right to be in the UK have reached the highest levels in nearly a decade, with over 80,000 returns from July 2024 to July 2026.

As you would expect, we continuously monitor performance across all areas of the Home Office, including our activity to tackle illegal migration. We are continuously striving for levels of returns to increase, while ensuring that we always treat everyone we encounter with dignity and respect.

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