A watchdog report has shown the huge amounts of money the government is willing to pay Rwanda per immigrant if the deal were to go through, with critics arguing that the costs now outweigh the benefits to the economy.
UK-Rwanda Partnership Agreement
A report from the National Audit Office has revealed that the UK government was willing to pay Rwanda hundreds of thousands of pounds for each migrant that moved there.
Sunak Fights for Rwanda Deal
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has been fighting for his infamous Rwanda scheme to be passed by the Supreme Court since 2022, although there have been many hurdles.
Lords in Fierce Debate
Lords have been debating whether the African nation is a “safe” place to send migrants not granted asylum in the UK, with many deeming the scheme “unlawful.”
Government’s Plan to Sweeten the Deal
A government watchdog has now revealed that to sweeten the deal for Rwanda, the UK government was willing to pay the nation £171,000 per asylum seeker.
Payment Structure
According to the findings, the UK government was prepared to send Rwanda £171,000 broken down over five years of costs to cover “essential” expenses for each individual.
Essential Expenses Revealed
According to the report, these expenses include “essential items such as food, medical services, education, language training and professional development.”
Breakdown of “Essential” Costs
Rwanda was offered £20,000 for each migrant transferred, with an additional £151,000 over the five years, ending up with a total of £171,000 per migrant.
UK Offers Migrants Thousands
On top of this, the UK government has now confirmed it would offer each migrant £3000 as an incentive to move to Rwanda voluntarily.
Supplementary Funding
In addition to the relocation costs, the UK government has agreed to pay Rwanda £120 million after the first 300 deportations, showing the vast amounts of money the government is willing to spend on the Rwanda scheme.
Rwanda Scheme’s Heavy Criticism
Sunak’s scheme has received heavy criticism from Tory peers, Labour MPs and the public, with Ofcom recently reporting complaints due to Sunak’s explanation for the scheme.
Ofcom Announces 500 Complaints
According to Ofcom, the regulator received over 500 complaints from concerned members of the public due to Sunak’s answers regarding the scheme.
Sunak Pressed on Rwanda Issue
During an interview on GB News, Sunak was told by a member of the audience “public documentation shows it isn’t working and that it’s not going to work,” to which he responded.
Sunak’s Hardline Response
Sunak’s response received complaints as he insisted, “We need to be able to say pretty simply and unequivocally that if you come to our country illegally, you won’t get to stay.”
Sunak Fights for Right to Respond
A spokesperson for the Prime Minister responded to the Ofcom complaints by arguing that Sunak’s ability to respond in such a way is an “important part of the democratic process.”
Labour’s Reaction
Labour representatives have condemned the scheme and its associated expenditures, characterising them as a “national scandal” due to its burden on the taxpayer.
Flight Costs
Flight expenses alone are estimated to amount to £11,000 per relocated asylum seeker, encompassing fuel costs and aircraft chartering fees.
Report Shows Tory “Scandal”
The Shadow Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, argued, “This report reveals the national scandal the Tories have been trying to hide.”
Report is “Staggering” According to Labour MP
Labour MP, Dame Diana Johnson, slammed the report’s findings, “These are staggering figures” she noted, before questioning how the scheme helps the UK economy.
Failure to Save Money on Immigration
Dame Johnson claimed that “For all its rhetoric about ensuring value for money in the asylum and immigration system” the proposed Rwanda scheme fails to achieve it.
Questions Arise on Benefits
With vast amounts of money being paid to ensure the Rwanda deal goes through, critics question how the immigration deal benefits the UK economy as the government claims it would.
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