Extract from Cabinet read-out - Mar 7

Tuesday, 7 March 2023 12:38

The Prime Minister opened Cabinet by looking ahead to the introduction of the Stop the Boats Bill, which will be set out to Parliament later today. The Prime Minister said that over 45,000 people illegally crossed the Channel in small boats last year, putting pressure on public services and costing taxpayers around £3 billion in hotel accommodation. He said that tragically the crossings have led to people losing their lives. The Prime Minister said the...Request free trial

The Prime Minister opened Cabinet by looking ahead to the introduction of the Stop the Boats Bill, which will be set out to Parliament later today.

The Prime Minister said that over 45,000 people illegally crossed the Channel in small boats last year, putting pressure on public services and costing taxpayers around £3 billion in hotel accommodation. He said that tragically the crossings have led to people losing their lives.

The Prime Minister said the current approach was not right, not fair and not sustainable which was why stopping the boats was one of his five priorities. He said that we have already made important changes to help tackle this issue, such as the largest ever small boats deal with France but stressed the need to go further through the Bill being introduced today.

He said this government is taking tough, fair and necessary action, acting within international law, that would enable the UK to have control of our borders so that we can continue to be a compassionate and generous country, providing refuge to the most vulnerable.

The Home Secretary said the Government was taking a humanitarian set of measures to stop people making a dangerous journey where they are exploited by criminal gangs. She outlined the main measures of the Bill and said detailed work had taken place to ensure it can be delivered as fast as possible.

The Immigration Minister said that the Government was right to act given the scale of the challenge continued to escalate. He said the organised gangs were now heading up a multibillion-pound industry and that the Government was right to take a tough approach given their cruel and dangerous tactics. He emphasised the UK would remain a compassionate country, pointing to our track record on humanitarian routes, including for those fleeing from Afghanistan and Ukraine.

The Prime Minister thanked Cabinet for their support and said that the public will rightly be focused on the impact of the Bill and that delivering on it would make a major difference, helping ensure we meet the commitment to stop the boats.