The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has clarified its stance on deploying naval assets to tackle small boat crossings in the English Channel.
Responding to a parliamentary question from Rupert Lowe (Reform UK – Great Yarmouth), Luke Pollard, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Defence, reiterated that the issue falls under the Home Office’s jurisdiction.
Pollard outlined the Home Office’s efforts to address the issue through its newly established Border Security Command:
“The Home Office is the lead Government Department responsible for border security and migration. It has recently established the Border Security Command to strengthen global partnerships and enhance the UK’s efforts to investigate, arrest, and prosecute people smugglers profiting from the dangerous movement of people across the channel.”
While acknowledging the critical role of defence assets in maritime security, Pollard noted their limited suitability for addressing small boat crossings:
“Defence assets are procured for Defence tasks and are therefore not optimised for the issue the hon. Member raises.”
He highlighted the Royal Navy’s primary role in safeguarding the UK’s maritime security, including monitoring and shadowing foreign warships in UK waters.
In 2024, Royal Navy assets responded to over 25 such transits.
The MOD’s response reflects a division of responsibilities, with the Home Office leading efforts to counter illegal migration and the MOD focusing on broader maritime security. The establishment of the Border Security Command signals a move toward enhancing inter-agency collaboration to address the complex challenge of small boat crossings.
We already have a fleet in the ditch picking up illegals! Just take them back instead of bringing them here!
got to laugh at this one. people calling for the navy that doesn’t exist to sort out an issue that no nations military could do takes the biscuit. how out of touch cable these cretins be?
Yes invading France is the solution, never should have gave up Calais in the first place.
Isn’t invading France the solution to most problems? We could even go through the channel tunnel.
Tickets are quite pricey tho
Invading France wouldn’t be a great idea given that their military would probably kick our arses back into the channel! They seem to have considerably more of everything than we have these days!! And for those who like to claim that the French have a habit of waving white flags it would be salutary to remember that historically France has won more wars than any other nation on earth! Just saying!!
Your wrong ,we’ve loads more illegal migrants then them.
Their army is definitely better equipped than ours but I would take our navy any day. Air force is fairly even although we have the sexy F35s.
Their army can’t put a Division rapidly into theatre and hasn’t been able to for sometime. Their armoured vehicles are in an even more parlous state than ours and they relied on us to get their men and materiel on the ground during Barkhane through their lack of strategic transport aircraft and heavy lift helicopters. They pad out their numbers for the press with non combatants, the Gendarmerie and even the Paris Fire Brigade . Their personal equipment is inferior from weapons to body armour , communications. It’s just not correct to say they’re better equipped.
Yep remember half of the French airforce fast jet fleet is really really old.
Totally agree.
In fact ..
Q?
Would you put your head in a lions mouth ….no…
Then load the gins of warships ……and do a PROPER boarder control
At least it sounds like this government has learned from the failed attempt to rope in the Navy from not too many years ago.
Yes, that was totally wrong.
Can we not just open fire on them i think they would get the message and this is not a joke .sign me up for 12 hour shifts
If the navy is not supposed to protect the country from invasion then why do we have one at all?
It is entirely different to deal with unarmed people to armed belligerents.
If they were heavily armed then using the baby would be fair enough.
Supposed to read ‘navy’….
got to laugh at this one. people calling for the navy that doesn’t exist to sort out an issue that no nations military could do takes the biscuit. how out of touch cable these cretins be?
Why would you send in babies that’s a war crime 👶👶👶👶👶👩🍼🧑🍼👨🍼
Hi folks hope all is well .
This issue is very taxing in all respects. The general British population is fed up with this attitude of seeing to always do the right thing by protecting human rights. Well our track record and history proves as always we step up. It’s not the Royal Navy’s job we already have the so called Boarder Force to do a proper job, they’ve failed on that one!
On a,side issue. Tonight there’s a programme on chanel 4 with Gur Martin with the Royal Marines. Can you experts tell me what ship is being used please. Is one of those that are going to be scraped?
Cheers
George
No, he is on a Bay Class LSD, all three are bing reatined along with Argus, the two LPD’s being scrapped are in port and have not been at sea for some time. The LSD is much closer to the concept for the MRSS that will provide future amphibious capability.
So the marines will now be ferried around by a Civilian crewed vessel instead of the Navy RFA crews will undoubtedly get Danger pay if the need arises
Albion was in service in 2023.
I note the “political” wording that they will apparently only worry about “people smugglers” rather actual illegal entrants.
What’s happening with all the P2000s in the RN? Can’t some be used by the UK border force? Aren’t they being looked at being replaced, not sure when?
Left out the “Archer class” bit.
They are in a bit of a limbo state currently, for years all but two were off performing University Royal Navy Unit roles and navigational training whilst two of the lucky vessels (on extended rotations) got to be part of the Faslane patrol and are fitted with ballistic protection and GPMGs. Occasionally, one or two vessel were sent out to Cypress or Gibraltar to bolster the armed inshore presence against a potential sea bourn terror attack at times of high tension.
With the reactivation of the Coastal Forces Squadron (including the B1 River class, P2000 and often supported by undeployed MCM ships) they have been bought back into a more operational role. Recently, four of the vessels have been dashing about the Baltics simulating fast attack craft at random against NATO allies under exercise Steadfast Defender 24 and a pair of them sailed up the Seine into central Paris for the Olympics. New systems are being trialed on board; two have recently completed MCM work in the Baltics with numerous ROVs being tested and successfully operated from the vessels, these new capabilities may be rolled out across the P2000s fleet as the whole class (bar the two Faslane Patrol ships) are now part of the CFS and will begin seeing more operational use.
Their replacement will be due next decade likely, but isn’t as urgent as other needs across the fleet. I’d expect whatever does take over from them may have a more modular design and be built from the ground up with the idea of inshore ROV operations, as that battle space is being increasingly expanded, and close infrastructure and asset protection being core to the design and future capabilities.
Border Force, it’s not to repel boarders, which is how so many view the people risking everything to get to Britain.
And it’s not the Navy’s job to stop them. It’s a civil matter, at best they’re trespassing, at worst it’s “Sinking and Entering”.
We allow Romanians in to pick potatoes, but won’t allow the illegals to replace them. Where’s the logic? We would perhaps break even then.
An island is great, but you have to watch every yard of Coast when you’re seen as a safer place than pretty much half the world.
Our enemies are not some poor buggers from Sudan hoping to get a job washing cars….
They’re massive armies, owned by lunatics, and they don’t want your council house..they want us all dead. We should grow a pair, and grow up
Something tells me the Brexit negotiations were a crock of the proverbial. Jolly Johnson, Jack Frost aided and abetted by the Honourable Member for Trumpton got just a little seen off when the EU goth them to agree that people, yes people folks, with very good cause to leave the turmoil and troubles of their home countries were assured that the agreement for Brexit included safe passage through EU countries should they say their destination was former EU member known to many as ‘Blighty’
The royal family have lots of spare rooms and as they are tax payer funded can we not expect them to house some people in need? And maybe everyone who voted labour and thinks immigration is a good thing should be forced to take one. It is illegal immigration and any business or charity that encourages or aids it should be held to account, same with our treasonous government which seems hell bent on ignoring the problem.
What a silly idea. The navy could only one of two things. One, sink them; who’s going to give, or obey, that order. Two, wave at them. There is nothing in between.