UK TO RETURN MIGRANTS TO FRANCE UNDER NEW DEAL-The Home Office said  detentions could start within days

Britain is set to begin implementing a deal to return some migrants who arrive on small boats to France within days, a key part of its plans to cut illegal migration, after a treaty on the arrangement is ratified on Tuesday.

Under the new deal, France has agreed to accept the return of undocumented people arriving in Britain by small boats, in exchange for Britain agreeing to accept an equal number of legitimate asylum seekers with British family connections.

The treaty between France and the UK will allow the Home Office to return some asylum seekers back across the Channel for the first time in exchange for accepting others directly from France via a safe route.

Those who have crossed the Channel to the UK using small boats will become inadmissible for safe routes, according to the terms of the treaty. About 50 people a week are expected to be returned during the pilot of the so-called “one in, one out” scheme.

The Home Office said the pilot was “operationally ready” and that detentions could start within days. The summer months, when the weather tends to be better, are usually the high point for crossings, with 898 arrivals on 30 July alone.