The UK and France have agreed to extend their joint small boats pilot scheme, commonly referred to as the ‘one in, one out’ arrangement, until 1 October, allowing the continued exchange of asylum seekers between the two countries.
The scheme was originally established under an agreement signed by both governments in July last year. Under its terms, asylum seekers who arrive in the UK via small boat crossings can be returned to France, in exchange for another individual being transferred legally from France to the UK. The agreement was set to remain in force until 11 June 2026, with provisions allowing for renewal upon mutual written agreement between the two governments.
Home Office sources have now indicated that the agreement will be extended until 1 October, though no official public statement has been issued to formally confirm the extension. A Home Office spokesperson commented that under the returns agreement with France, more than 600 individuals have been deported from British soil, contributing to a broader total of nearly 60,000 returns since July 2024, which represents a rise of 31 percent compared to the preceding 19 months. The spokesperson added that the scheme forms part of the government’s wider efforts to remove the incentives that draw people to make irregular journeys to the UK and to increase the removal of those with no legal right to remain.
Figures reported by the Guardian show that as of 28 April, 605 people had been returned to France under the scheme, while 581 individuals had been transferred legally from France to the UK in exchange.