Migrants crossed the English Channel on Saturday, marking the first small boat arrivals since the UK signed a new agreement with the French this week to curb crossings.
Arrivals in Dover
A group of more than a dozen people thought to be migrants, including women and children, were pictured being brought into the Border Security Command compound in Dover after being collected in the Channel.
New UK-France Agreement
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood signed a three-year agreement with France on Thursday to pay £662 million to support beach patrols as part of efforts to drive down the number of arrivals.
The Home Office said the arrangement would see officers “targeting and detaining” migrants on the French coast with the aim of removing hundreds of small boat migrants from beaches every year to stop them entering the water.
Funding Breakdown
It means the UK will hand over £501 million to cover five police units and enforcement activity on French beaches – with an extra £160 million only paid if new tactics to curb Channel crossings succeed.
If efforts fail, the additional funding will stop after a year, the Home Office said. Ministers have, however, stopped short of setting specific targets to measure the success of the deal.
Year-on-Year Comparison
So far this year, more than 6,000 migrants have arrived in the UK after making the journey, down 36% on the number this time last year, Press Association analysis of Government figures shows.
