Question
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has undertaken an evaluation of the UK-France One In, One Out pilot scheme; and whether she will publish the findings.
Answer
An internal assessment of the UK-France returns scheme is underway and will inform future plans to tackle illegal migration. This will be reviewed following closure of the UK-France scheme to assess impact and learning which can be taken forward. The aim of the UK’s arrangement with France is to stop small boat crossings, protect lives which are lost during these dangerous crossings, undermine the OCG business models and improve the UK’s border security. The arrangements operate under a bilateral treaty, which explicitly commits both countries to respecting the Refugee Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights. Individual assessments are carried out prior to removal. Case-by-case considerations are given to any claimed individual circumstances that means France would not be safe in any particular case, including any vulnerabilities. Individuals also have access to the courts to challenge removal. Any referrals from individuals who may have been victims of modern slavery are carefully considered in line with the relevant statutory and international obligations. All individuals have their cases reviewed regularly in line with standard guidance, and this includes both while detained and if any claims of being a victim of torture or of human trafficking and modern slavery are raised. Detained individuals are advised of their right to legal representation, and how they can obtain such representation, within 24 hours of their arrival at an Immigration Removal Centre (IRC). We do not comment on costs as these are commercially sensitive arrangements. The Treaty ended on the 1 st October and operational activity will continue for the following weeks to remove those in detention back to France. As the pilot scheme winds down, learnings are being taken forward as the UK government explores innovative solutions to tackle the challenge of illegal migration.7% vibes
Verdict: AMBER (55/100)
The reply clearly confirms that an internal assessment of the UK-France returns scheme is underway and will be reviewed after it closes, which directly answers whether an evaluation has been undertaken. It describes when and why the internal review will take place but does not say whether its findings will be published, so that part of the question is only partly answered. Overall, the reply gives a clear answer on the first point but leaves the second open, so the person who asked may need to follow up on publication.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whether the Home Office has undertaken an evaluation of the UK-France One In, One Out pilot scheme. | Addressed | Direct | The reply states plainly that an internal assessment of the UK-France returns scheme is underway and will be reviewed after closure to assess impact, which directly answers whether an evaluation has been undertaken. |
| Whether the Home Secretary will publish the findings of any evaluation of the UK-France One In, One Out pilot scheme. | Partially Addressed | Hedged | The reply describes the timing and purpose of the internal review but never says whether its findings will be published, which is the specific point the item asks about. |