Migrant boat arrivals to UK down by 20 in '23

LONDON, June 5 (KUNA) - UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's plan to stop the migrant boats is beginning to work, with small boat arrivals to the UK down by 20 percent this year, Prime Minister office said Sunday.
This is the first time since the small boat phenomenon began that arrivals in the first half of the year fell compared to the year before. This is not a Europe-wide trend - small boat arrivals to Europe are up 30 percent, noted the statement.
The Prime Minister set out the progress that has been made on this, one of his five priorities, on a visit to Dover this morning.
"Our French deal prevented 33,000 illegal crossings last year, 40 percent more than the year before, thanks to our partnership with the Government of Albania, Albanian small boat arrivals are down 90 percent year-on-year and we have returned more than 1,800 Albanian illegal migrants and foreign criminals on weekly flights since December, "We have increased the number of illegal working raids by more than 50 percent, and arrests have more than doubled," the prime minister clarified.
He also announced the next steps in the Government's relentless efforts to get illegal migrants out of expensive hotels and into alternative sites, including confirming that the Government has secured two new vessels. These plans will see thousands moved out of hotels by the Autumn. (end) nbs.ibi