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Wednesday, 26 June, 2002, 16:30 GMT 17:30 UK
Tories question Tunnel security costs
The Channel Tunnel is a target for asylum seekers
The Conservatives are asking why the UK is going to pay millions of pounds for security on the French side of the Channel Tunnel.
The criticism came as Home Secretary David Blunkett hailed the "long overdue progress" he had made with his French counterpart.
The Tories welcomed other parts of the deal, such as joint monitoring of illegal immigrants, while the Liberal Democrats argued that securing a common European asylum policy should be the priority. 'Restore old deal' Shadow home secretary Oliver Letwin asked: "How is it that the French managed to persuade the home secretary that it was our responsibility to pay for security on their side of the Channel?" Mr Letwin urged Mr Blunkett to get help from his predecessor, Jack Straw, now Foreign Secretary, in restoring the old deal with France that had meant asylum seekers sent back within 24 hours. The success of that agreement, which was in place in the mid-1990s was challenged by Mr Blunkett.
"In resolving to help the French problem, we substantially resolve our problem," Mr Blunkett told MPs. "That is what an intelligent approach seeks to offer." Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Simon Hughes said closing the Sangatte refugee camp, which has been described as a springboard for illegal entry to the UK, and improving security was not going to stop people movements. Instead, the only real substitute for the current "nonsense" of European asylum policy was to ensure asylum claims were processed in the same way across the EU. Central EU agency? Mr Blunkett agreed "substantial measures" on sharing the asylum challenge and finding administrative ways of dealing with it. But he doubted a central EU agency for dealing with applications could work. On Tuesday, France outlined its commitment to close the Sangatte camp but said it would set no timetable for that move. Mr Blunkett described the talks as "a marathon and not a sprint".
Under the deal, there will be more joint operations between UK and French intelligence to crack down on people-traffickers. France which has called on Britain to tackle the so-called "pull factors" attracting people to the UK, also welcomed the UK's promise to produce a consultation paper on identity cards. French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy said the closure of Sangatte remained a goal, because the issue had been "poisoning" relations between the two countries. Mr Sarkozy said he would set a date for the closure of the camp after the UK's new Asylum and Immigration Bill - currently working its way through Parliament - was in place. Further negotiations between the two ministers will be held in Paris on 12 July.
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25 Jun 02 | UK
25 Jun 02 | Business
25 Jun 02 | UK Politics
24 Jun 02 | UK Politics
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