Migrants deported from Britain to France under the UK government’s “one in, one out” scheme were left without adequate access to translators, legal advice or clear information about their futures, according to a report published on Monday.
The findings come from the UK prison inspectorate’s first review of the scheme, which was launched in July and is intended to deter dangerous small-boat crossings, while opening a limited legal route for migrants from France to the United Kingdom.
Inspectors examined the removal of 20 people on a flight to France in November and found significant communication failures.
Those being deported were offered access to a translator who spoke Arabic and French, but hardly any of the group understood either language.
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While the migrants were aware they were being sent to France, they had little idea of what would happen to them on arrival.
Inspectors said this lack of information increased anxiety for some of those removed.
Migrants were provided with phone numbers for law firms, but many reported that solicitors were unwilling to take on their cases. As a result, access to meaningful legal advice was limited at a crucial moment.
Under the “one in, one out” agreement, people arriving in the UK on small boats can be detained and returned to France. In exchange, an equal number of migrants are authorised to travel legally from France to the UK through a newly created route.
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Scrutiny from rights groups and UN
The government says the policy is designed to discourage risky Channel crossings and disrupt people smuggling gangs.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said last week that 305 people had been removed from the UK under the scheme, while 367 had entered through the legal pathway.
However, rights groups have repeatedly criticised the arrangement, arguing that it is arbitrary, lacks due process and fails to safeguard migrants’ wellbeing.
Last year, a group of experts – including seven UN Special Rapporteurs – urged the UK and France to halt the programme.
In a letter to both governments, they warned that the scheme “may result in serious violations of international human rights law” and raised concerns that indicators of trafficking were not being properly identified.
The UK Home Office and the French Ministry of the Interior did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
(with newswires)
