Britain and France have ended a pilot program designed to reduce the number of migrants crossing the English Channel in small boats, the British government said Wednesday.

The Home Office said in a statement that the so-called "one in, one out" arrangement is no longer accepting new cases.

Under the agreement, migrants who reached Britain after crossing the Channel could be detained and returned to France. In return, an equivalent number of asylum seekers who had applied through legal and safe routes could be transferred to Britain.

About 1,500 people have been returned to France under the arrangement, while slightly fewer have been transferred to the UK. The agreement was initially intended to run for three years but included a provision allowing either side to end it early.

"We continue to work with France to relentlessly tackle small boat crossings, and we've made real progress," the Home Office said.

Although the program has ended, deportation flights will continue in the coming weeks for people who have already been detained under the scheme.

The situation has changed significantly compared with last year, with small boat crossings falling to a five-year low this year. The decline has been attributed partly to increased police patrols and stronger surveillance in northern France.

Around 19,000 people have crossed the Channel so far this year, about 40% fewer than during the same period last year.

The dangers of the journey were highlighted Monday when a 10-year-old child and two women reportedly died after being trampled on a boat carrying more than 100 people.

Cooperation between Britain and France on preventing small boat crossings weakened after the UK's departure from the European Union in 2020. However, the two countries have reached several agreements in recent years aimed at addressing the issue.

Small boat crossings have become a major political issue in Britain. Public frustration over successive governments' efforts to control the crossings has contributed to protests and riots and helped fuel support for the right-wing Reform UK party.