British taxpayers may have to cough up nearly £1billion to renew the UK's Channel security deal with France.

The head of a French parliamentary commission into the beach patrol agreements said demands could rocket 40 per cent to 'more than €1billion (£860million)' if thousands of migrants continued trying to cross the waterway.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood agreed a new three-year £662million deal with president Emmanuel Macron's government in April. 

It replaced a £479million deal signed under the Conservative government in 2023.

But French politician Sebastien Huyghe, who is leading an inquiry into the agreements, said: 'If the situation continues, we could find ourselves demanding a further 40 per cent increase in three years' time, which would bring the total to €1billion. 

'However, I am not sure the British would agree to increase funding by 40 per cent every three years simply because their country is attractive.

'There is a consensus within this committee that the current situation is unsatisfactory and cannot be allowed to continue for years to come.'

Mr Huyghe's commission estimated a third of all migrants illegally entering the EU are heading to the UK – about 60,000 out of 170,000 last year – because of the ease with which they secure refugee status here. 

He said: 'We have learnt that 71 per cent of those who manage to cross the English Channel or the North Sea are subsequently granted refugee status, which is a huge figure. I understand why they are willing to take every risk.'

Mr Huyghe also urged the French government to take a fresh look at the 22-year-old Le Touquet agreement which allows border checks to be carried out before travellers leave each country.