Overview

• An Indian national who arrived by small boat in August was flown from Heathrow to Paris on an Air France service, marking the first confirmed return under the scheme, according to both governments.
• The Home Office says further removal flights are scheduled this week and next, with the first arrivals into the UK via the reciprocal legal route expected in the coming days.
• Courts continue to shape operations: a judge on Tuesday granted interim relief to an Eritrean man to pursue a trafficking claim, while a separate late bid to halt another Eritrean’s removal was rejected on Thursday, clearing a deportation for Friday.
• Ministers have launched a rapid review of modern slavery guidance and updated Home Office rules to curb last‑minute claims, moves condemned by the UK’s independent anti‑slavery commissioner and criticised by charities.
• The pilot, in force since August and due to run until June 2026, starts on a small scale as crossings exceed 31,000 this year and campaign groups report multiple detainees and cancelled removal directions.