Health Secretary, Victoria Atkins,said the British government hopes to have Rwanda flights taking off 'within weeks'.
More than 6,000 people have arrived on small boats so far this year, data shows. Cabinet minister Victoria Atkins insistsMore than 700 people tried to cross the English Channel illegally this weekend, new figures show - as MPs are set to finally give the go-ahead to Rwanda deportations.
The latest figures come after British-funded French police were seen standing by and watching as dozens of migrants sprinted across beaches to board small boats and cross the English Channel. Yet in footage captured by ITV, the newest UK-funded hardware was watched by unbothered French cops appearing to let migrants cross in front of them.
Home Secretary James Cleverly vowed in February that the UK and France would 'expand upon' co-operation he said had proved successful so far - citing figures showing a 36 per cent reduction in crossings last year. A Home Office spokesperson said: 'The unacceptable number of people who continue to cross the Channel demonstrates exactly why we must get flights to Rwanda off the ground as soon as possible.
A scheme to send small boat arrivals to Rwanda - agreed with the country's president Paul Kagame - was not passed before Easter after peers inflicted a series of defeats and ministers did not try rushing it through ahead of recess. The organisation's chief executive Steve Smith told the i newspaper: 'If Parliament passes the Rwanda Bill next week we will leave no stone unturned to identify those at risk and signpost them to get legal support.'
Health Secretary Victoria Atkins told Sky News yesterday that the first flights to Rwanda could take off 'within weeks' - though she could not confirm who would operate the journeys. It has emerged that Rwanda’s state airline turned down an offer from the UK Government to operate removals flights. The Ministry of Defence is set to be a 'close partner' in the Rwanda asylum programme, the Mail disclosed last week - raising the prospect of migrants being deported aboard military jets.
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