The government is working hard “on every level” to implement full border controls, Paymaster General John Glen has said.
He was responding to the publication of a National Audit Office report which says that the Government lacks a clear timetable to introduce full controls.
Glen told GB News: “The Government has done quite a lot over recent months to attend to the real challenges we face on our borders.
“We have significant return agreements in place with Albania. We've seen a significant drop of around a third of the number of small boat crossings. This is a problem that many of our friends and neighbours in other countries are experiencing.
“We are working very hard. Obviously, the legislation has passed for the Rwanda bill. I think you can say that on every level, this Government is engaged in finding ways of dealing with what is a very complicated problem.”
He added: “You can take a snap figure of one week or a few months, but what we do know is that over the last year, the numbers are down by around a third.
“We've passed legislation very recently, which will provide a significant deterrent effect. I think that most people understand that this is a complex area of policy related to other countries as well.
“That's why it's important that we've got those return agreements in and stronger controls and understanding with what is going on with the French government.
“But there isn't a single policy intervention in one moment that can stop all those crossings.
“What we do see though, is an absolute determination by the Government to legislate for to come to understandings with other governments to stop the boats and reduce those numbers even further.”
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