British taxpayers may have to pay £1billion to renew the UK's Channel deal with France
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By DAVID BARRETT, HOME AFFAIRS EDITOR
Published: | Updated:
British taxpayers may have to cough up nearly £1billion to renew the UK's Channel security deal with France.
The head of a French parliamentary commission into the beach patrol agreements said demands could rocket 40 per cent to 'more than €1billion (£860million)' if thousands of migrants continued trying to cross the waterway.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood agreed a new three-year £662million deal with president Emmanuel Macron's government in April.
It replaced a £479million deal signed under the Conservative government in 2023.
But French politician Sebastien Huyghe, who is leading an inquiry into the agreements, said: 'If the situation continues, we could find ourselves demanding a further 40 per cent increase in three years' time, which would bring the total to €1billion.
'However, I am not sure the British would agree to increase funding by 40 per cent every three years simply because their country is attractive.
A 'mega dinghy' crossed the Channel last month with 165 people aboard
French police look on as migrants board a dinghy from Dunkirk beach on April 13
'There is a consensus within this committee that the current situation is unsatisfactory and cannot be allowed to continue for years to come.'
Mr Huyghe's commission estimated a third of all migrants illegally entering the EU are heading to the UK – about 60,000 out of 170,000 last year – because of the ease with which they secure refugee status here.
He said: 'We have learnt that 71 per cent of those who manage to cross the English Channel or the North Sea are subsequently granted refugee status, which is a huge figure. I understand why they are willing to take every risk.'
Mr Huyghe also urged the French government to take a fresh look at the 22-year-old Le Touquet agreement which allows border checks to be carried out before travellers leave each country.
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