An Iranian man has become the third person to be removed under Britain's return deal with France.
The man has been returned to France after crossing the English Channel in a small boat, according to Home Office sources.
This followed the removal of an Eritrean man earlier today after he lost a High Court bid to halt his removal.
An Indian national was deported yesterday.
An Iranian man has become the third person to be removed under Britain's return deal with France
|REUTERS
The first flights carrying asylum seekers from France to the UK under the deal are expected to take place next week, the source added.
Although they would not comment on numbers, the source said they were expected to be “at or close to parity”, given the “one in, one out” nature of the deal.
Ministers have praised the returns, with Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy saying they provided an “immediate deterrent” to people seeking to cross the Channel.
The Government intends to increase the number of people being sent back under the pilot deal over the coming months.
The deal with France means people who arrive in Britain by small boat can be detained and returned across the Channel, in exchange for an equivalent number of people who applied through a safe and legal route.
But shadow home secretary Chris Philp attacked the deal as providing “no deterrent effect whatsoever”, describing the numbers returned as “pathetic” and saying “boasting about it is absurd”.
A Government source said: "I would note these are now three forced removals after eight weeks - the Rwanda scheme managed four VOLUNTEERS in two years."