Thats 1,216 more than the same period last year. In the whole of 2023, there were 29,437 arrivals, which was down 36 on a record 45,774 people in 2022. Here at the home office, there will be concern that the numbers are rising again. Thats being put down to the weather, the fact the smugglers organising the crossings are using bigger boats and packing more and more people onto them. Plus, its thought the criminal gangs are telling people you need to get across the channel now before there are any flights to rwanda to lessen your chances of ending up there. Its more than two years since the Rwanda Plan was first unveiled. The Governments Bill declares the East African country to be safe. Peers have called for that claim to be assessed by an independent committee of experts. Labour says the whole Scheme Wont Work and refugee groups share the concerns. Rwanda Wont Act as a deterrent. We know that because people we work