Migrant deal with France could skyrocket 40% if illegal migrants continue to cross
British taxpayers could be forced to pay a bill 40 per cent higher for the UK's Channel security arrangement with France when it comes up for renewal, according to the chairman of a French parliamentary commission examining the beach patrol agreements.
Sebastien Huyghe, who heads the inquiry, warned that demands from Paris could surge to more than €1billion, roughly £860million, should thousands of migrants continue attempting the perilous crossing.
The caution comes just months after Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood struck a new three-year deal worth £662million with President Emmanuel Macron in April.
Mr Huyghe doubted Downing Street would accept such escalating costs.
He said: "I am not sure the British would agree to increase funding by 40 per cent every three years simply because their country is attractive.
"There is a consensus within this committee that the current situation is unsatisfactory and cannot be allowed to continue for years to come."
His remarks suggest growing unease on the French side about a funding model that has already expanded significantly.
The April deal represents a substantial jump from the £479million agreement signed under the previous Conservative Government in 2023.
The commission's research revealed that approximately one third of all migrants entering the EU illegally ultimately set their sights on Britain.
That equates to around 60,000 of an estimated 170,000 last year.
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."
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Mr Huyghe additionally called on the French Government to revisit the Le Touquet agreement.
The treaty, two decades old, allows both nations to conduct border checks before passengers leave their respective countries.
Over 82,000 migrants have arrived in the UK via small boat crossings since the Labour Party took power in 2024.
So far in 2026, about 17,480 people have reached the UK by small boat, a 46 per cent reduction from the same period last year.
Of that total, some 5,011 arrivals have occurred since Andy Burnham took office as Prime Minister.
The English Channel is one of the world's busiest shipping lanes.
Labour claims its deal with the French prevented 185 small boat crossing events during the first three months of the deal being signed.
According to Home Office data, this intervention stopped roughly 61 per cent of identified small boat launch attempts on the French coast, directly preventing more than 4,300 individual crossing attempts from reaching British waters
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