French Spending Watchdog Accuses British Of Providing ‘Piecemeal’ Intelligence on Small Boat Crossings

The Home Office dismissed French criticism of the UK’s work on illegal migration saying that the information was ‘out of date.’

Illegal immigrants crossing the in a small boat traveling from France off the coast of Dover, England on Aug. 29, 2023. Gareth Fuller/PA

France’s state auditor has criticised British authorities for providing “piecemeal information” on joint work stopping illegal small boat crossings.

On Thursday, France’s Cour des Comptes (Court of Accounts), which acts as a state auditor, said that British authorities are not doing enough to share intelligence on illegal migration via the English channel.

‘Very General’

The report said that despite a joint declaration by French and British authorities to commit to “improving and dismantling organised crime and networks,” the watchdog claimed that the British don’t provide “usable information on the departures of small boats, and give very general, first-level information that has not been counter-checked.”