The UK government's 'one in, one out' deal with France is costing roughly £56,000 for every person returned, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has told MPs, defending the figure as comparable to a year of hotel accommodation.
Key facts
- The 'one in, one out' scheme costs about £56,000 for each person sent back to France.
- Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood disclosed the figure to the home affairs select committee.
- Mahmood defended the cost as about the same or cheaper than housing someone in a hotel for a year.
- The committee questioned whether the scheme delivered value for taxpayers.
The UK government’s “one in, one out” deal with France is costing about £56,000 for every person returned across the Channel, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has told MPs, according to the Guardian.
Mahmood disclosed the figure as she was questioned by the home affairs select committee over whether the scheme was delivering value for taxpayers.
Defending the cost, the home secretary said it was about the same or cheaper than putting someone up in a hotel for a year.
The disclosure came during scrutiny of the arrangement, which forms part of the government’s efforts to manage cross-Channel migration between the UK and France.
The Guardian reported that the questioning focused on whether the scheme represented good value for money for taxpayers, a concern the home secretary sought to address by drawing the comparison with hotel accommodation costs.
Why it matters
The cost of managing cross-Channel migration is a politically sensitive issue, and the £56,000-per-person figure gives taxpayers and MPs a concrete measure to judge the scheme's value. How the government justifies these costs is likely to shape ongoing debate over migration policy.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the 'one in, one out' scheme cost per person?
According to the Guardian, the scheme costs about £56,000 for every person sent back to France, a figure disclosed by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood.
How did the home secretary defend the cost?
Shabana Mahmood said the cost was about the same or cheaper than putting someone up in a hotel for a year.
Who questioned the home secretary about the scheme?
Mahmood was questioned by the home affairs select committee over whether the scheme was delivering value for taxpayers.