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France has agreed to start intercepting small boats in the Channel, after months of pressure from the United Kingdom.

The change in policy comes after the Prime Minister wrote to the President asking him to support the plan and saying there presently "have no effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.

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

French police have rarely intervened to stop the overcrowded boats leaving the coastline because it is considered too great a risk to both officers and civilians.

"It is essential that we deploy these tactics this month... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel waters."

Currently, a French naval police spokesperson states personnel will start intervening at sea, with the aim of safeguarding lives.

Notably, the spokesperson ruled out the use of nets to intercept boats, which had earlier been suggested as a potential technique to snarl the propellers of the boats.

This determination to intervene at all is a significant step forward, following a brief change towards a stricter approach this summer, which dropped off when the previous Interior Minister left government.

That was highlighted in the summer month, preceding a summit between the UK leader and President, when authorities were witnessed wading into the sea to slash the hulls of a boat.

Currently French officials will again be permitted to intercept boats before they collect migrant individuals from the coastal areas of France's north coast, although it's uncertain how the small boats will be prevented.

Powerful gusts are presently delaying the start of interceptions and the people-smuggling gangs will be seeking methods to adjust to avoid interception, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.

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

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