Taxpayers are set to shell out on the new “one-in, one-out” between London and Paris despite fears it will not deter asylum seekers crossing the Channel.
Britain will pay the transportation costs for every migrant transferred to and from France, under Keir Starmer’s deal with Emmanuel Macron.
Taxpayers are set to shell out on the new “one-in, one-out” between London and Paris despite fears it will not deter asylum seekers crossing the Channel.
The agreement states: “All transport costs incurred in connection with readmission pursuant to this Agreement shall be borne by the United Kingdom.”
Whilst no costs have been revealed, the deal between Starmer and Macron also allows France a veto over who can be returned.
Paris can refuse to take any Channel migrant that poses a “threat to public policy, internal security, public health or the international relations of any of the Schengen States.”
France must give a response within 28 days for each migrant Britain intends to return.
But if the French ignore Britain’s requests, the migrants must remain in the UK – even if they have arrived here illegally.
And small boat arrivals with “clearly unfounded” human rights claims will be allowed to stay in the UK until they have exhausted all their legal challenges. They will also be ineligible if they claim they are under 18.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy sparked fresh confusion on Wednesday morning after claiming migrants could have their human rights cases heard in France.
Asked about whether human rights claims presented a “loophole” in the deal, Lisa Nandy told Sky News: “That’s not the case at all.
“The deal that we’ve struck will allow people with us to send people back to France who have human rights claims. Those claims will be heard in France.
“So, I know that the Conservative Party has been saying that this is a loophole. It isn’t and we’re really confident about that.”
The UK has just 14 days to detain and deport a Channel migrant to France.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: “This deal is likely to be completely unworkable and will be ruthlessly exploited by human rights lawyers to prevent people being returned to France.
“Even a clearly unfounded or made up human rights claim will stop a return to France while it goes through a lengthy court process.
“This deal has no numbers in it – presumably because they are so small. Returning just 6% of illegal immigrants, as reported, will have no deterrent effect whatsoever – because 94% get to stay.
“And the deal says that France will not provide any information at all about those they are sending to the UK – so they could be criminals or terrorists and we wouldn’t know.
“This is a bad deal, which won’t work. No wonder this government has presided over the worst channel crossing figures in history.”
Mr Philp added: “It’s exactly what we’ve been warning about – a bureaucrat’s dream and a lawyer’s paradise set to prevent people ever being returned to France.”
More than 25,000 migrants have crossed the Channel this year in record time, up 50% compared to last year.
The UK will initially send around 50 migrants back a week, under the proposed agreement. In exchange, the UK will receive the same number of migrants who have family members already in the UK.
Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron struck a returns deal to try and deter smuggling gangs (Image: Getty)
More than 25,000 migrants have crossed the Channel this year (Image: Getty)
Migrants who have previously attempted to cross the Channel will be ineligible under the scheme.
But asylum seekers that lodge human rights claims will be inadmissible, under the proposal.
The Treaty, published on Tuesday, states: “The United Kingdom confirms that at the time of their transfer that person will not have an outstanding human rights claim (which shall include a Third Country National with a human rights claim that has been certified under United Kingdom law as clearly unfounded).”
The document also reveals that Paris has refused to provide any details about the migrants they are planning to send to the UK,
It bluntly states: “For the avoidance of doubt, under no circumstances shall personal data be transferred from France to the United Kingdom.
“As for transfers from the United Kingdom to France, the communication of personal data shall only take place if such communication is necessary for the implementation of this agreement.”
