To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to implement additional measures to detect people smuggling through UK ports, including the use of X-rays.
Answered on
5 November 2019
At the juxtaposed controls and at ports around the country, Border Force officers use some of the most advanced detection technology available to find and stop migrants attempting to reach the UK illegally. We have also invested tens of millions of pounds in new infrastructure to enhance border security. All freight vehicles entering the UK through the juxtaposed controls are screened for people being smuggled into the UK using a range of techniques. This includes using carbon dioxide detectors and motion sensors as well as sniffer dogs to detect clandestine on-board lorries.
We will continue to monitor closely displacement of the threat to other ports and routes into the UK and are prepared to shift more resources to UK ports, whilst working proactively with European law enforcement, including partners in France, Belgium and Holland, to target the organised crime networks behind people trafficking and illegal migration.