Labour humiliated as staggering cost of France deportations revealed

Sending migrants who arrive by small boats back to France is costing UK taxpayers around £48,000 per person. Analysis by the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford shows that the cost of enforced removals of migrants has more than tripled in the last decade, as the public purse becomes ever more stretched.

The figure means that a recent deportation flight from London Stansted to Paris in January, which saw 32 male migrants returned as part of the UK’s one in one out deal with France, would have cost around £1.52million. The cost, which Britain is forced to cover due to the agreement, includes the chartering of a plane, case work and financial support for migrants once returned to France. An HM Inspectorate of Prisons report published yesterday said the men flown to Paris in January had all arrived in the UK by small boat and were later detained in immigration removal centres.

Writing of the January 20 flight, Charlie Taylor, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, said that it was conducted without any problems.

He wrote: He said: “No force was used during the removal, and in our review of previous cases including several from the earlier disrupted flight we found past use of restraints or control techniques justified based on assessed risks.”

The report also showed how three removals showed “force” had been used five times in total, with waist restraints put on three men.

Mr Taylor said two of them remained in the belts for the duration of their removal after they “demonstrated continuing resistance”.

The two also had leg restraints applied so they could be carried onto the transporting vehicle and plane.

“In the first case, the leg restraints were removed quickly once they were on the vehicle, but for the latter detainee they remained on while they travelled,” the report said.

“Arm holds” were used on the two men to restrain them in their seat when they became disruptive after the plane landed in France.

A paramedic saw all three men once the belts and restraints were removed, and inspectors concluded the use of force “seemed justified”.

The Government’s one in, one out deal came into force in August to send migrants who have arrived across the Channel back to France, and to bring approved asylum seekers via a safe route to the UK.

A total of 41,472 migrants arrived in the UK in 2025 after crossing the English Channel – the second highest annual figure on record.

There have been 5,136 arrivals so far this year.

The Home Office 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.”