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France has agreed to start stopping small boats in the Channel, following months of insistence from the UK.

This policy shift follows the Prime Minister wrote to the President asking him to support the plan and stating there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.

French security forces will be allowed to stop the small boats at sea, but only before they've collected their passengers, according to official statements.

French police have infrequently acted to stop the overcrowded boats leaving the shoreline because it is considered too great a danger to both officers and civilians.

"It is essential that we implement these methods this period... We have no effective prevention in the Channel."

Now, a French naval police spokesperson states officers will begin intervening at sea, with the objective of safeguarding human life.

Notably, the spokesperson ruled out the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had earlier been suggested as a possible technique to snarl the engines of the boats.

This determination to take action at all is a significant advancement, coming after a brief shift towards a stricter approach this summer, which dropped off when the former government official departed from office.

That was highlighted in July, in the run-up to a summit between the Prime Minister and French president, when French police were witnessed wading into the sea to damage the sides of a boat.

Currently French officials will again be allowed to intercept boats prior to they pick up migrant individuals from the coastal areas of northern France, although it's uncertain how the vessels will be prevented.

Powerful gusts are presently delaying the commencement of interceptions and the human trafficking gangs will be seeking ways to adjust to avoid detection, as they have frequently done in the past.

The Home Office and Downing Street have been approached for comment.

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