The Home Office Border Security Command has refused to reveal the forecast cost of Labour’s vaunted one in, one out migrant deal. You can guess why…
Guido’s FOI Unit asked the BSD what the total forecast cost range for the operation of the pilot deal, which is running until June next year, and the cost of transportation of asylum seekers to and from France. It said release of the costs would “prejudice” the UK’s relationship with other state. A classic caper…
“We continue to explore measures aimed at dismantling the business models of the criminal smuggling gangs. It is imperative that confidential information is not released to the public which would prejudice relations between the UK and other States. Organised Immigration Crime is a global threat, with no respect for national boundaries. Tackling it requires an international response, with governments and international organisations working together to develop strategic solutions and collaborative operations, across the whole irregular migration route, from source to destination countries. Given that the policy has recently launched and remains at an early stage, to release the information at this point would undermine the ongoing and sensitive negotiations with any partner state and would negatively impact crucial relationships with any other state involved in the collaborative efforts to address the issue of irregular migration.”
The fact that the policy is new has no bearing on whether the public should know its cost. Considering the pitifully low numbers swapped so far you can surmise the cost per return would be quite high. The French have always asked an eye-watering price for their co-operation on border matters…
Lord Khan in the Telegraph: “I hope, and I say this in a non-pompous way, that the public service I do will bring rewards in this world and the hereafter,” he says. “I’m hoping the work I do is earning me Brownie points.”