Ministers considering processing plants for migrants who cross Channel

Ministers are looking at plans to set up overseas processing centres to deal with migrants who cross the Channel in small boats.

Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab said Britain was working with international partners to “test the idea” as pressure grows over the number of asylum seekers making the journey to Britain from northern France.

His remarks come after The Times reported that ministers were talking to Albania about opening a processing centre in the east European country.

Mr Raab told LBC Radio: “It’s important to reduce the pull factor, we will work with all our partners — and it’s not just one country, we’ve looked at the Australian experience, we’ve been talking to the Danes about this and we want to make sure the processing — and that will depend on the goodwill and co-operation of partners — can be done elsewhere.”

Asked if this will include Albania and Rwanda, he said: “Let me avoid talking about individual countries but just say with international partners this is something we’re probing. We will do everything we can to resolve this problem.”

Ministers are under pressure to do more to tackle the crisis of migrants crossing the Channel in small boats. Encouraged by mild autumn weather, a record 1,185 migrants made the crossing last Thursday — the highest number in a single day. More than 23,000 people have crossed the Channel this year, a big increase on the 8,404 last year.