The proportion of migrant boats intercepted by French authorities before crossing the English Channel has slightly decreased, despite an observed rise in the use of larger, more easily detectable vessels. In the year to August 2, French authorities stopped 56% of attempted crossings, a marginal drop from 57% in the preceding 12 months.
This trend emerges despite significant financial contributions from the UK government to France aimed at bolstering border security. A deal signed in April includes an unconditional £500 million for beach patrols and an additional £160 million in performance-related funding.
During the 12 months to August 2, French authorities intercepted 598 out of 1,057 attempted crossings, accounting for 14,462 migrants. In the previous year, 1,057 out of 1,849 launched boats, carrying 30,012 migrants, were halted.
Recent crossings have seen a notable increase in the size of the vessels used. On a Monday in early August, a 'mega-dinghy' carrying a record 230 migrants was brought to Dover. This vessel was reportedly 7 feet larger than those setting previous records and over 10 feet longer than a standard double-decker bus.
The average number of migrants per vessel has more than doubled over the past five years, rising from 27 in 2021 to nearly 70 in the current year, reflecting the trend towards larger boats.
Critics have voiced concerns about the effectiveness of the current strategy. Chris Philp, the Conservative Shadow Home Secretary, argued that larger boats, traveling slower, should be easier for French authorities to intercept. He stated, "Boats the size of buses are crossing the Channel in broad daylight, and somehow the French are managing to catch a lower rate of them than before." Philp also criticized the UK government's funding, suggesting France is not upholding its end of the agreement. He proposed a plan that would involve leaving the European Convention on Human Rights, banning asylum claims from illegal entrants, and rapidly deporting illegal immigrants.
Zia Yusuf, Reform UK's home affairs spokesman, called the funding "insane," adding, "The French are now doing even less. They are laughing at us."
Former UK Border Force chief Tony Smith commented that larger boats should be easier to intercept and spot using technology. He noted that French tactics have not changed, with no action taken once a boat is waterborne. Smith suggested that without French cooperation, and as long as the current model persists, smugglers will continue using increasingly larger boats.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham indicated that the rise in average numbers per boat and the use of 'mega-dinghies' suggest smugglers are adapting their methods. Anna Turley, the minister for border security and asylum, contended that progress in small boat crossings has led to a "dispersive effect," pushing launches further from Calais and Dunkirk, which might explain why French interception rates haven't kept pace with vessel size.
Since Prime Minister Burnham took office, over 3,000 migrants have arrived via small boats, a number exceeding those during the initial weeks of Sir Keir Starmer's premiership.