A new treaty allowing the UK to return small boat migrants to France in exchange for accepting legal asylum seekers has been signed today, marking a key step in the Government’s attempt to reduce irregular Channel crossings.

The agreement, signed in Paris by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, enables the UK to detain adult migrants upon arrival and send them back to France if their asylum claims are deemed inadmissible.

In return, France will transfer an equal number of individuals with legitimate asylum claims or family links to the UK who have not tried to cross illegally and who meet strict eligibility and security checks.

What does the new scheme involve?

The Government has described the pilot as a “landmark” approach to tackling

See Full Page