Fourth Report - Operation Isotrope: the use of the military to counter migrant crossings
Select Committee
Defence Committee
HC 1069
11 March 2022
Recommendations
3 results
2
Acknowledged
In line with our general policy on shipbuilding, we call on the Home Office to...
Recommendation
In line with our general policy on shipbuilding, we call on the Home Office to ensure that any new vessels are built in British yards, to ensure national capacity is maintained (Paragraph 11) Criticism of the policy
Government Response Summary
The government notes the recommendation. The National Shipbuilding Office is working with the Home Office and Border Force on the vessel replacement programme, seeking to maximise UK content wherever possible, as part of the 30-year shipbuilding pipeline.
Ministry of Defence
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5
Rejected
Para 57
We recommend that the Home Office and the MOD agree realistic indicators of success and...
Recommendation
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 …
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Government Response Summary
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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6
Accepted
Para 60
We believe that the Government ought to reconsider its refusal to publish the details of...
Recommendation
We believe that the Government ought to reconsider its refusal to publish the details of strategic and operational responsibility. This confusion around where responsibility for the policy lies is compounded by the fact that, as noted above, the solution to …
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Government Response Summary
The government states that the overall division of responsibility is clear: the Home Secretary retains overall accountability, while the Defence Secretary is responsible for the operational response, including identifying, intercepting and managing small boat migrants.
Ministry of Defence
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Conclusions (10) Observations and findings — click to expand
1
Conclusion
Accepted
The announcement of this policy appears to have been made prematurely. When the Government has been asked for details, it has consistently responded that these were being worked out. Announcing a policy before finalising the details is bad practice, particularly when that policy area is so sensitive. We question why …
Government Response Summary
The government states that the Prime Minister announced major reforms to UK immigration policy, including the Economic and Migration Development Partnership with Rwanda and confirmed military primacy for small boats migration in the English Channel. It says it had already confirmed the initial policy intent prior to the Prime Minister's announcement.
3
Conclusion
Accepted
Para 52
A successful military strategy requires clear ends, ways and means. The ends (or in this case the objectives) are anything but. The MOD appears to regard its objective as ensuring that no migrant lands on their own terms, but the Home Office sees the objective as deterrence. Whilst these are …
Government Response Summary
The Government believes the Committee’s conclusion is premature, stating that the Nationalities and Borders Act and the policy of third country processing will change the dynamic in the Channel.
4
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Para 56
We are seriously concerned by the lack of a clear endpoint for this operation. Restoring public confidence in the immigration system is a task at which numerous governments have failed. It is not a task Defence is equipped to undertake. The MOD has its own policy failings which it needs …
Government Response Summary
The government notes the Committee’s conclusions and states that current planning is for Defence to retain primacy of the UK’s operational response until January 2023, at which point the operational requirement and financing arrangements will be reviewed.
7
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Para 63
A public disagreement between two great offices of state, played out in the House and on Twitter, is deeply unedifying. If one of the objectives is to restore public 30 Operation Isotrope: the use of the military to counter migrant crossings confidence then this disagreement has done the opposite and …
Government Response Summary
The Government notes the Committee’s view but believes it is reasonable to set out overarching policy aims and strategy in advance of the full details, stating that the MOD, Home Office and others are working closely together on a single cross-Government response.
8
Conclusion
Rejected
Para 69
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 prioritising this task against and which commitments will be unfulfilled …
Government Response Summary
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.
9
Conclusion
Accepted
Para 76
The Defence budget (despite its recent uplift and multi-year commitment) is already inadequate. Adding responsibility for immigration without a further uplift in the budget takes scarce resources from an already overstretched Department. We do not understand why this operation is not being treated as a MACA request and accordingly resourced …
Government Response Summary
The Treasury, Home Office and MoD agreed a £50 million package to enable the delivery of military primacy until early 2023, at which point the requirement and resourcing will be reviewed.
10
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Operation Isotrope’s potential to cause reputational damage to the Royal Navy (and even UK Defence as a whole) is significant. That risk comes from a number of areas: those who believe that this is not a defence task (but rather ought to be carried out by civil authorities); those who …
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges that countering small boats migration is a complex problem requiring a 'whole of Government' response and states the MOD has been clear on the Royal Navy's role and boundaries, with information published daily on GOV.UK.
11
Conclusion
Rejected
Para 80
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 not lend itself to effective scrutiny, particularly when Ministers provide …
Government Response Summary
The Government believes the Committee’s point on the timing of the announcement is disingenuous, clarifying the sequence of events.
12
Conclusion
Accepted
Furthermore, this operation distracts from other Defence tasks, which is a particular concern given the shortfalls we identified in our recent Report ‘We’re going to need a bigger Navy’. The operation will likely have long-term impacts on training, personnel leave allocation and asset maintenance. It is also unclear why Op …
Government Response Summary
The government states that Defence primacy for tackling small boats migration is part of the Government’s significant overhaul of the immigration system. An additional financial package of £50 million has been agreed with the Treasury and Home Office to ensure the capability uplifts and enhancements required can be delivered.
13
Conclusion
Accepted
In short, the Government has not attempted to persuade us that Operation Isotrope is anything but an ill-defined policy, prematurely announced. The best case scenario for the Royal Navy is that it will leave with its reputation unharmed: there is no prospect of leaving with its reputation enhanced. (Paragraph 82) …
Government Response Summary
The government states that Defence primacy for tackling small boats migration is part of the Government’s significant overhaul of the immigration system. An additional financial package of £50 million has been agreed with the Treasury and Home Office to ensure the capability uplifts and enhancements required can be delivered.