The Marquess of Lothian – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Marquess of Lothian on 2016-06-08.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many Border Force vessels patrol UK territorial waters at any one time; and how many are needed to ensure the required levels of surveillance and security of the UK’s coastline.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

Border Force is committed to operating three cutters in UK waters at any given time. We currently have a total of four available for use in UK waters, with one rotated into use where required. These figures only include the number of cutters currently deployed in UK territorial waters and do not include the additional military and law enforcement vessels available. Border Force takes a multi-layered approach to maritime security; using a combination of cutters, radar and aerial surveillance to detect efforts to smuggle guns and drugs or facilitate illegal entry into the country. They also work closely with domestic and international partners on an intelligence-led approach, allowing us to tackle the criminals involved before they leave for the UK. Border Force is also investing in a new fleet of rigid hull inflatable boats (RHIBS) as part of a new maritime security strategy. The vessels will patrol the UK coast, helping to intercept attempts to smuggle migrants, drugs and dangerous weapons into the country.