Home Sec defends UK-France migrant deal

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Speaking in the House of Commons, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper insisted the UK-France return deal would “fundamentally undermine” the smugglers organising the crossings.  Under the pilot scheme, for each small boat migrant sent back across the English Channel, an asylum seeker will be allowed to enter the UK from France under a legal route.   Report by Gluszczykm. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn

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00:00Under the groundbreaking agreement announced by the Prime Minister and President Macron last week,

00:05individuals who arrive in the UK by small boat can for the first time be readmitted to France.

00:12This is the right thing to do and is also an important step towards undermining the business

00:18model of the organised crime groups behind these crossings. So we've agreed to establish a safe

00:24reciprocal exchange mechanism for individuals in France who apply with appropriate documentation

00:30to be transferred to the UK subject to clear eligibility criteria and stringent security checks.

00:37Transfers to the UK under the new route will match the number readmitted to France on a one-for-one

00:43basis. Further details of this scheme will be set out in the immigration rules once final arrangements

00:49are in place. And this innovative agreement means people who undertake illegal, dangerous journeys

00:55to the UK, putting their own and other people's lives at risk and paying money to fuel an entire

01:02criminal industry, being returned to France where the boats set off from. And in return we will take

01:09people who apply lawfully, who pass security checks, with priority given to those who have a connection

01:15with the UK, those who are most likely to be refugees or are most vulnerable to smuggler gangs.

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