Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many people have been detained in preparation for removal to France under the pilot small boat crossings returns scheme since 1 August 2025; and of those cases how many were (1) age disputed, and (2) found to be a child.

Operational details of the scheme are not disclosed outside of what has already been published as this may impact migrant behaviour or be exploited by organised crime gangs.

Removing minors to France is explicitly prohibited under Article 4(2)(d) of the Agreement.

Individuals are not removed to France where their age is in dispute, given the terms of the Treaty sets out that those removed will be individuals who have been determined to be an adult. We have recently seen several cases where migrants in this country are claiming to be children to prevent their removal.

This can happen despite having claimed to be an adult upon arrival in the country.