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| Two new barges to house migrants announced | Two new barges to house migrants announced |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| The PM on migrants crossing the Channel: "The plan is working, numbers are down for the first ever time." | The PM on migrants crossing the Channel: "The plan is working, numbers are down for the first ever time." |
| The PM on migrants crossing the Channel: "The plan is working, numbers are down for the first ever time." | The PM on migrants crossing the Channel: "The plan is working, numbers are down for the first ever time." |
| Two new barges have been purchased to house up to 1,000 migrants, the prime minister has announced, as he said plans to tackle small boats crossing the Channel are working. | Two new barges have been purchased to house up to 1,000 migrants, the prime minister has announced, as he said plans to tackle small boats crossing the Channel are working. |
| Rishi Sunak said the location of the new barges will be announced soon. | Rishi Sunak said the location of the new barges will be announced soon. |
| It comes as the PM said the numbers making the crossing by small boats were down by a fifth since last year. | It comes as the PM said the numbers making the crossing by small boats were down by a fifth since last year. |
| He said a returns deal with Albania had led to 1,800 people being sent back to the country. | He said a returns deal with Albania had led to 1,800 people being sent back to the country. |
| The first barge to hold asylum seekers is due to dock in Portland Port this month, and will house 500 adult males claiming asylum in the UK. | The first barge to hold asylum seekers is due to dock in Portland Port this month, and will house 500 adult males claiming asylum in the UK. |
| How many people cross the Channel in small boats? | |
| How is the UK stopping Channel crossings? | |
| Mr Sunak said the barges "will relieve pressure on local communities" and spaces in hotels being used to house migrants. | Mr Sunak said the barges "will relieve pressure on local communities" and spaces in hotels being used to house migrants. |
| Before the barges arrive, the government will do "extensive engagement with local communities" Mr Sunak added. | Before the barges arrive, the government will do "extensive engagement with local communities" Mr Sunak added. |
| On Sunday, dozens of protesters gathered around Portland port to ahead of the arrival the Bibby Stockolm barge, claiming the location was chosen without consulting locals. | On Sunday, dozens of protesters gathered around Portland port to ahead of the arrival the Bibby Stockolm barge, claiming the location was chosen without consulting locals. |
| Speaking in Kent, Mr Sunak said his plan to stop small boat crossings "is starting to work". | |
| Mr Sunak said crossings were down 20% compared to last year. This is compared to a 30% increase in the number of migrants entering the rest of Europe illegally over the same period. | |
| A revised deal with the French authorities to stop migrant crossings prevented 33,000 illegal crossings last year, Mr Sunak added. | |
| Under the new agreement, signed by Home Secretary Suella Braverman in November, the UK paid France £63m this year to invest in CCTV, policing and detention centres in French ports to try and prevent crossings. The prime minister added: "With grit and determination, the government can fix this and we are using every tool at our disposal." | |
| And Mr Sunak said the UK had gone from accepting about one in five Albanian asylum cases to just one in 50. | |
| "So far this year, the number of Albanian small boat arrivals has fallen by almost 90%," he said. | |
| In total, 45,755 migrants crossed the Channel in 2022, the highest number since figures began to be collected in 2018. | |
| Crossings are heavily influenced by the weather and the summer months typically see higher numbers making the journey. | |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| English Channel | |
| Refugees and asylum seekers | |
| Rishi Sunak | Rishi Sunak |
| Europe migrant crisis |