Fourth Report - Operation Isotrope: the use of the military to counter migrant crossings
Select Committee
Defence Committee
HC 1069
11 March 2022
Recommendations
1 results
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 …
Read more
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
View Details
Conclusions (2) Observations and findings — click to expand
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.
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.