Many constituents have been contacting me about the issues at Calais. I have been keeping a close eye on the situation and I am firmly resolved to push for even stronger border control. The strike action by French port workers has exposed the pressures on the port of Calais. The recent closure has had significant repercussions for the UK – for lorry drivers and for the people of the South East of England. The risk of further French strike action continues.
Border Force reacted to the incidents putting in well-tested contingency plans, reinforcing security and supporting traffic flow. All the freight vehicles entering the ports underwent intensified screening including use of sniffer dogs, carbon dioxide detectors, heartbeat monitors and scanners. This was in addition to visual searches. Over 8000 attempts by illegal migrants were stopped at the juxtaposed ports.
I am absolutely committed to ensuring that the UK has a robust border control system. Clearly, when those in genuine need come to our shores with no other safe haven then we must look to help them however this genuine need can often be abused by those who simply choose to circumvent our laws.