Question
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has had with her French counterpart on the removal of people to France under the former UK-France One In, One Out pilot arrangement following its formal conclusion.
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: RED (8/100)
The question asked about the Home Secretary's engagement with her French counterpart after the scheme closed. The reply does not mention any contact, meeting, or discussion with France. It gives the treaty end date and says operational removals will continue, which is background on the scheme rather than the engagement that was asked about. The asker would most likely need to submit a follow-up question to get an answer.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| What is the nature of the Home Secretary's engagement with her French counterpart on the removal of people to France under the former UK-France 'One In, One Out' pilot following its formal conclusion. | Not Addressed | Generic | The question asks about the Home Secretary's engagement with her French counterpart after the scheme's closure, but no statement mentions any contact, meeting, or discussion with France. Statements 12 and 13 only give the treaty end date and say operational removals will continue, which is context about the scheme rather than the requested engagement. Statement 4 describes treaty commitments, not ongoing dialogue. |