We are seeing daily news reports about the number of boats laden with people, including women and children, who are making the perilous journey across the Channel to reach the UK. I understand the concern and anger that has been expressed to me about this issue. I entirely agree that the number of illegal small boat crossings is unacceptable. The Home Secretary has said that we must make this route unviable in order to secure a long-term solution to the issue.
The National Crime Agency, Border Force and the Police have been engaging closely with the French authorities to crack down on the criminal gangs who facilitate these crossings. Firm action is needed to protect our border and save the lives of migrants who are being so cruelly misled by criminals and people smugglers.
The Home Secretary has outlined a two-part plan to stop the illegal entry of migrants to the UK across the Channel and, I welcome the work being done to stop the boats from leaving France in the first place. The Government is urging the French authorities to move migrants who are caught attempting to reach the UK by boat away from Calais and the UK is funding patrols on the beaches of northern France to prevent migrants crossing in the first place. The second part of the plan is to intercept and return anyone who attempts to make a crossing.
The Treaty of Sandhurst, agreed between the UK and France in 2018, enshrines the measures set out above to tackle the illegal migration which takes place between Northern France and the UK.
Below is a link where you will find the full wording of the treaty.
Those coming across the Channel should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach. France is a safe country with an established asylum system.
I would like to reassure you that once the occupants of these boats arrive on our shores, they do not automatically receive the right to remain in the UK. Illegal migrants are processed by detention centres where they will be assessed to ascertain any claim to asylum in the UK.
However, this has never been about escorting boats across the Channel. Once an unseaworthy small boat reaches the sea, the priority is to save lives, this is something I agree with. The Channel is one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world and those on board these small boats are not wearing suitable life jackets despite the rough waters. It is important not to forget that these people are desperate and will put their own lives and those of their children at risk rather than go back to France. This is a complex and extremely challenging issue.
If the occupants of any small boats are intercepted by the Border Force or the RNLI they are medically assessed and transferred for interview by immigration enforcement officers. At this point they may make a claim for asylum and will be processed in the usual way. However, if an individual is known to have made a claim in another country the Home Office will look at the process of returning them as promptly as possible.
The EURODAC Regulation establishes an EU asylum fingerprint database. When someone applies for asylum, no matter where they are in the EU, their fingerprints are transmitted to the EURODAC central system.
Since it was established in 2003, EURODAC has proved to be a very important tool providing fingerprint comparison evidence to assist with determining the Member State responsible for examining an asylum application made in the EU. Its primary objective is to serve the implementation of Regulation (EU) No. 604/20133 ('the Dublin Regulation') and together these two instruments make up what is commonly referred to as the 'Dublin system'.
I know that many people have concerns and fears about the number of people crossing to reach the UK and for the safety of those people who decide to make this dangerous journey. I hope this sets out some of the actions the Government is taking to discourage and stop this illegal and dangerous practice.
Rydyn ni’n gweld adroddiadau newyddion dyddiol am nifer y cychod sy’n cael eu llwytho gyda phobl, gan gynnwys menywod a phlant, sy’n gwneud y daith beryglus ar draws y Sianel i gyrraedd y DU. Rwy’n deall y pryder a’r dicter sydd wedi cael ei fynegi wrthyf am y mater hwn. Rwy’n cytuno’n llwyr fod nifer y croesfannau cychod bach anghyfreithlon yn annerbyniol. Mae’r Ysgrifennydd Cartref wedi dweud bod yn rhaid inni wneud y llwybr hwn yn anymarferol er mwyn sicrhau ateb tymor hir i’r broblem.
Mae’r Asiantaeth Troseddu Cenedlaethol, Llu'r Ffiniau a’r Heddlu wedi bod yn ymgysylltu’n agos ag awdurdodau Ffrainc i chwalu’r gangiau troseddol sy’n hwyluso’r croesfannau hyn. Mae angen gweithredu cadarn i warchod ein ffin ac achub bywydau mewnfudwyr sy’n cael eu camarwain mor greulon gan droseddwyr a smyglwyr pobl.
Mae’r Ysgrifennydd Cartref wedi amlinellu cynllun dwy ran i atal mewnfudwyr rhag mynd i’r DU yn anghyfreithlon ar draws y Sianel, ac rwy’n croesawu’r gwaith sy’n cael ei wneud i atal y cychod rhag gadael Ffrainc yn y lle cyntaf. Mae’r Llywodraeth yn annog awdurdodau Ffrainc i symud mewnfudwyr sy’n cael eu dal i geisio cyrraedd y DU ar gwch oddi wrth Calais ac mae’r DU yn ariannu patrolau ar draethau gogledd Ffrainc i atal mewnfudwyr rhag croesi yn y lle cyntaf. Ail ran y cynllun yw rhyng-gipio a dychwelyd unrhyw un sy’n ceisio croesi.
Mae Cytundeb Sandhurst, y cytunwyd arno rhwng y DU a Ffrainc yn 2018, yn ymgorffori’r mesurau sy’n cael eu nodi uchod i fynd i’r afael â’r mudo anghyfreithlon rhwng Gogledd Ffrainc a’r DU.
Isod ceir dolen lle gwelwch eiriad llawn y cytundeb.
Dylai’r rheini sy’n dod ar draws y Sianel hawlio lloches yn y wlad ddiogel gyntaf y maen nhw’n ei chyrraedd. Mae Ffrainc yn wlad ddiogel gyda system lloches sefydledig.
Hoffwn eich sicrhau pan fydd deiliaid y cychod hyn yn cyrraedd ein glannau, nad ydyn nhw’n cael yr hawl yn awtomatig i aros yn y DU. Mae mewnfudwyr anghyfreithlon yn cael eu prosesu gan ganolfannau cadw lle cânt eu hasesu i ganfod unrhyw hawliad am loches yn y DU.
Fodd bynnag, nid yw hyn erioed wedi golygu hebrwng cychod ar draws y Sianel. Unwaith y bydd cwch bach anaddas yn cyrraedd y môr, y flaenoriaeth yw achub bywydau, ac rwy’n cytuno â hyn. Mae’r Sianel yn un o’r llwybrau llongau prysuraf yn y byd ac nid yw’r rhai sydd ar fwrdd y cychod bach hyn yn gwisgo siacedi bywyd addas er gwaethaf y dyfroedd garw. Mae’n bwysig peidio ag anghofio bod y bobl hyn mewn sefyllfa anobeithiol ac y byddan nhw’n peryglu eu bywydau eu hunain a bywydau eu plant yn hytrach na mynd yn ôl i Ffrainc. Mae hwn yn fater cymhleth a heriol iawn.
Os bydd Llu’r Ffiniau neu’r RNLI yn rhyng-gipio deiliaid unrhyw gychod bach, cânt eu hasesu’n feddygol a’u trosglwyddo i’w cyfweld gan swyddogion gorfodi mewnfudo. Ar yr adeg hon, gallant wneud cais am loches a chânt eu prosesu yn y ffordd arferol. Fodd bynnag, os gwyddys bod unigolyn wedi gwneud hawliad mewn gwlad arall, bydd y Swyddfa Gartref yn edrych ar y broses o’u dychwelyd cyn gynted â phosibl.
Mae Rheoliad EURODAC yn sefydlu cronfa ddata olion bysedd lloches yr UE. Pan fydd rhywun yn gwneud cais am loches, ni waeth ble maen nhw yn yr UE, trosglwyddir eu holion bysedd i system ganolog EURODAC.
Ers ei sefydlu yn 2003, mae EURODAC wedi bod yn arf pwysig iawn sy’n darparu tystiolaeth cymharu olion bysedd i helpu i benderfynu ar yr Aelod Wladwriaeth sy’n gyfrifol am archwilio cais am loches a wneir yn yr UE. Ei brif amcan yw gwasanaethu gweithredu Rheoliad (UE) Rhif 604/20133 (‘Rheoliad Dulyn’) a gyda’i gilydd mae’r ddau offeryn hyn yn ffurfio’r hyn a elwir yn ‘system Dilyn’.
Rwy’n gwybod bod gan lawer o bobl bryderon ac ofnau ynghylch nifer y bobl sy’n croesi i gyrraedd y DU ac am ddiogelwch y bobl hynny sy’n penderfynu gwneud y daith beryglus hon. Gobeithio bod hyn yn nodi rhai o’r camau y mae’r Llywodraeth yn eu cymryd i rwystro ac atal yr arfer anghyfreithlon a pheryglus hwn.