UK withholds basic details of first migrants under France deal as opposition calls for transparency

Britain’s Home Office declined to disclose basic information about the first migrants arriving in Britain under the 'one in, one out' deal with France, prompting criticism from opposition lawmakers over transparency.

Officials confirmed a family of three, including a small child, arrived in the UK. However, details about their nationality and other identifying information were withheld to protect their anonymity.

Four migrants have so far been sent back to France under the deal — an Indian national, an Eritrean, an Iranian and an Afghan. Since the treaty began on August 6, 6,752 small-boat migrants have reached Britain. On September 19, 1,072 migrants arrived across the Channel in total. The launch of the scheme has faced legal challenges and political scrutiny from its outset.

Labour argues the policy could undermine the tactics of people-smuggling networks by signaling that crossing the Channel may be fruitless, while the government says the plan aims to deter illegal entry and create a legal route for eligible migrants to come to the UK subject to security checks. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who scrapped the previous Rwanda deal upon taking office, has framed the new arrangement as a tool to disrupt gangs and reduce loss of life at sea, though officials caution that the scheme, when fully operational, would remove only a limited number of migrants per week.

A Home Office spokesman emphasised that the UK-France deal is a historic agreement and that any details are being handled with care to protect privacy. The department did not specify how applicants will be selected, though it has indicated priorities may include nationalities with high asylum grant rates and relatives in the UK. Applicants must apply online, prove identity and current presence in France, and show why they believe they qualify, with a bar on those previously removed or considered security risks. France’s role under the treaty is to avoid sharing personal data about applicants, which raises questions about the completeness of information used to assess cases.

The policy has faced a barrage of legal challenges, including a High Court injunction blocking the removal of an Eritrean migrant, who argued his claim of being exploited abroad should be reconsidered. The Court of Appeal later refused an attempt to overturn that ruling, underscoring the ongoing legal uncertainties around the scheme. Separately, officials note that the program’s scale remains modest compared with overall arrivals, and the government has said it will scale up as the legal framework allows.

Nationwide data show the small-boat route remains a sharp political flashpoint. This year to date, 32,188 migrants have reached Britain by small boat, up 28% on the same point last year, reflecting the broader pressures on UK asylum and border policies.