The eye-watering cost of deporting small boat migrants to France under Labour's 'failed' one-in one-out deal

By RORY TINGLE, HOME AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT Published: 09:46, 14 April 2026 | Updated: 09:49, 14 April 2026 Taxpayers are forking out £48,800 for every migrant sent back to France under Labour's 'failing' one-in-one-out deal with France.     Analysis by the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford found the cost of removing migrants had risen sharply from around £15,000 a decade ago.  It estimates that a single flight from Stansted to Paris on January 20 - carrying 32 male migrants alongside 73 escorts and two paramedics - could have cost £1.52m.  The total includes the cost of air fares, case work and financial support provided to migrants after they leave the UK. Under the terms of the deal signed in July, Britain can send a small boat migrant back to France in return for accepting one who has not previously tried to arrive illegally.  So far, 498 people have been returned to France and 482 have come to the UK since the deal was struck - with UK taxpayers covering transport costs both ways. An HM Inspectorate of Prisons report published yesterday said the men on the flight to Paris in January had all been detained after arriving in the UK on small boats before being kept in immigration detention centres. Two staff escorted each migrant after three passengers on a previous flight  had to be restrained using waist belts after demonstrating 'continuing resistance. But the flight went successfully and no force had to be used.  French police watch on yesterday as dozens of migrants depart from Dunkirk, heading for Britain A migrant swimming in the sea after failing to board a boat on the beach at Dunkirk on the French coast on April 13, 2026 Labour has been criticised for the slow pace of deportations as well as their cost.  Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: 'The one-in one-out scheme is a failure. 'No wonder more illegal immigrants have crossed the Channel under Keir Starmer than any other prime minister.' A Home Office spokesman said: 'Illegal migrants and foreign criminals are given escorts where risk assessments show they are needed. 'Since the 2024 election, the Government has saved close to £1billion in asylum costs and returned or deported nearly 60,000 people.' More than 5,136 people have arrived in the UK on small boats so far this year - around a third lower than the same period in 2025 when 8,064 people made the journey.  Two men and two women died as they tried to climb onto a boat at Equihen-Plage, near Boulogne-sur-Mer, on Thursday morning.  Two children were among those taken to hospital as a precaution after the incident and another person was treated for hypothermia. A Sudanese man has since been arrested on suspicion of endangering life. It comes as new photos once again showed French police failing to intervene as  dozens of migrants scrambled on to dinghies bound for Britain. Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. Despite their specialist uniforms with riot helmets, waterproof body-worn cameras, non-lethal handguns and pistol-grip pepper spray, the gendarmerie stood and watched as the overloaded boats sailed over the horizon. The laughable scene unfolded on Monday on the beaches of Dunkirk after France's human rights watchdog ordered police to stop using aggressive tactics to intercept migrants. Claire Hédon, the highly influential Defender of Rights, said in January that heavy-handed tactics such as slashing boats with knives or restraining migrants with tear gas or rubber bullets were 'disproportionate' and risked harming the thousands of young men flooding into Britain. On Monday, around 200 migrants were seen wading out into the sea before being collected by small boats sent from further down the coast - a tactic known as 'taxi boat'. French police have agreed to tackle 'taxi-boats' after a personal plea from Prime Minister Keir Starmer in January, but will only attempt an interception before they take on migrants. Police unions have warned it could put the lives of people-smugglers, migrants and French officers at risk and leave officers liable to prosecution if anyone drowned or was injured. Your browser does not support iframes. Two weeks ago, the UK agreed a new two-month deal to pay France £16.2million more to police the Channel while the two countries thrash out a long-term agreement. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood signed off deal, which extends a previous one, to subsidise French beach patrols. In recent weeks, more migrants without identification have claimed to be fleeing the war in Iran in order to secure refugee status, according to officials. Others have falsely claimed to be Bidoons - stateless Arabs from Kuwait, mainly descended from nomadic tribes, who were not granted citizenship after the country's independence in 1961 No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. 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