Rwanda might have been given extra cash on high of £140m for unlawful asylum scheme

Rishi Sunak might have handed over much more money to Rwanda as he desperately tries to resurrect the flagship deportation plan, MPs heard.

The Government is already identified to have given £140million to the African nation, although no asylum seekers have but been despatched. But a high civil servant has hinted the true determine may very well be even increased.

Officials had been additionally compelled to confess they don’t know the place greater than 17,000 asylum seekers who withdrew their purposes final 12 months had gone. It sparked allegations that ministers have been “cooking the asylum books”.

Mr Sunak is beneath strain to desert the controversial Rwanda mission, which was torpedoed by Supreme Court judges a fortnight in the past. Despite the landmark determination that it isn’t a secure nation to ship asylum seekers to, ministers are understanding methods to alter the regulation as Tories descend into civil battle.

A high Home Office official did not deny that extra cash may have been given to the Rwandan authorities, however advised MPs they’d have to attend months to search out out. Sir Matthew Rycroft advised the cross-party Home Affairs Select Committee: “So there are additional payments each year and ministers have decided that the way to keep you and other colleagues in Parliament updated is once a year to set out the total additional payments to the government of Rwanda.

“And we’ll try this within the annual report and accounts.” The UK handed over an initial £120million when the deportation deal was agreed last year, and a further £20million covering 2023/24. But pressed on whether further sums have been paid, Sir Matthew said:”We will announce that within the regular method subsequent summer season.”

Dame Diana Johnson, who chairs the committee, said it is hard to scrutinise the policy when the figures are being withheld. And Shadow Immigration Minister Stephen Kinnock said handing over more money is an “affront to the hard-working British taxpayer”.

Even Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson vented his fury, telling the committee: “I discover this totally staggering that the massive boss hasn’t received a clue, not simply on this query, however practically each different query we have requested right this moment.”

Mr Sunak has previously said he expects a new treaty with Rwanda to address some of the concerns raised by Supreme Court judges. And ministers are working on emergency legislation they say will prevent legal challenges.

Sir Matthew said the Home Office is putting “ending touches” to the new treaty. But the PM was hit by a further headache when former Tory children’s minister Tim Loughton questioned a 300% rise in asylum seekers withdrawing their applications last year.

Asked if he knew where 17,316 people who did so are, Simon Ridley, interim second permanent secretary at the Home Office, responded: “I don’t think we know where those people are, no.”

Labour‘s Mr Kinnock mentioned: “Home Office officers let the cat out of the bag that beneath the Tories, 17,000 asylum seekers have gone lacking. Labour first warned again in August that the Conservatives had been cooking the asylum books by withdrawing claims for asylum seekers for spurious causes, after which permitting these people to float away undetected into the underground economic system.”

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