Operation Isotrope: the use of the military to counter migrant crossings

Defence Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 18 Jan 2022 Closed: 6 Dec 2022 Parliament page
The session will consider the role of the Armed Forces in countering Channel crossings by migrants (Op Isotrope), and the wider implications for Defence, including what assets will be used, who will pay for them, how success will be measured and what the chain of command and reporting arrangements will … Read more
3 Recommendations
10 Conclusions
1 Report
2 Oral sessions
2 Events
Activity timeline 6 events
12 Jul
2022
Oral evidence
12 Jul
2022
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 8, Palace of Westminster
19 May
2022
Report published
11 Mar
2022
Report published
26 Jan
2022
Oral evidence
26 Jan
2022
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 8, Palace of Westminster
Oral evidence sessions 2 sessions
12 Jul 2022
View on parliament.uk
Paul Wyatt · Ministry of Defence Rt Hon James Heappey MP · Ministry of Defence
26 Jan 2022
View on parliament.uk
Commander (rtd) Tom Sharpe OBE Vice Admiral (rtd) Sir Charles Montgomery KBE
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Fourth Report - Operation Isotrope: the use of the military to c… HC 1069 11 Mar 2022 13 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
3 results
Clear
5 Recommendation Rejected
Fourth Report - Operation Isotrope…
We recommend that the Home Office and the MOD agree realistic indicators of success and...
We recommend that the Home Office and the MOD agree realistic indicators of success and explain them to both Houses of Parliament. Furthermore, we recommend that an agreed date for the operation to be handed over to the Border Force … Read more
Government Response
The government disagrees with the Committee’s view on the deployment of ‘scarce’ naval resources and states that the commitment can be maintained indefinitely without any significant impact on wider Royal Navy activity.
Ministry of Defence
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8 Conclusion Rejected
Fourth Report - Operation Isotrope…
It is clear that if Royal Navy vessels are to be committed to the operation...
It is clear that if Royal Navy vessels are to be committed to the operation in the Channel, some existing commitments will be given up. The Government ought to be clear, both with Parliament and the public what it is … Read more
Government Response
The Government disagrees with the Committee, stating that there is no significant impact whatsoever on wider Royal Navy or Army activity, as the assets made available to Operation ISOTROPE are already permanently assigned to Home Waters.
Ministry of Defence
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11 Conclusion Rejected
Fourth Report - Operation Isotrope…
The manner in which this decision was announced leaves a lot to be desired.
The manner in which this decision was announced leaves a lot to be desired. The confusion around the ways and means which will be used to achieve the strategic objective (let alone the strategic objective itself) is unhelpful and does … Read more
Government Response
The Government believes the Committee’s point on the timing of the announcement is disingenuous, clarifying the sequence of events.
Ministry of Defence
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Government Response AI assessment · 13 of 3 classified
Accepted 6
Acknowledged 4
Rejected 3
Total 3 recs + 10 conclusions