A record £715 million was spent on the scrapped Rwanda deportation scheme, which aimed to deter illegal migration but resulted in no deportations. Key expenses included £290 million to the Rwandan government, £50 million on logistical operations, and £280 million on legal and operational overheads. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper highlighted the scheme’s inefficacy, stressing that it did not prevent any crossings.
A comprehensive breakdown has revealed that £715 million was expended on the now-defunct Rwanda deportation scheme, which was intended to deter illegal migration to the United Kingdom. Of this total, £290 million was allocated to the Rwandan government, while £50 million encompassed costs related to flights and police operations. Additionally, £95 million was utilized for detention and reception centers, and approximately £280 million was spent on legal fees, IT systems, and staffing during the scheme’s operation from 2022 to mid-2024.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper disclosed the detailed expenses during a statement in the House of Commons, emphasizing the scheme’s limited impact. “In the two years the partnership was in place, just four volunteers were sent to Rwanda at a cost of £700 million,” she informed the Members of Parliament. Cooperative efforts under this scheme did not lead to a single deportation, contrasting starkly with the estimated 84,000 individuals who crossed the English Channel during that time period. The Labour government has since annulled the Rwanda partnership, claiming it would result in immediate savings of £750 million, some of which would reinvested into new border security initiatives.
The Rwanda deportation policy, initially launched under the Conservative government, aimed to transfer migrants arriving through informal channels to Rwanda, which opponents criticized as lacking supportive evidence of efficacy. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has reiterated the necessity of exploring effective deterrents, such as the Rwanda plan, while proposing a novel approach to immigration.
The Rwanda deportation scheme was introduced by the UK government to act as a deterrent against illegal migration, targeting individuals who arrived in the UK by small boats. The policy mandated the deportation of such individuals to Rwanda, where their asylum claims would be processed. The scheme received heavy criticism for its ethical implications and the dubious likelihood of success in reducing migration, ultimately leading to its termination following the Labour government’s ascendancy to power. This review of the scheme’s financial implications has highlighted the substantial investments made without achieving the intended outcomes.
The financial audit of the Rwanda deportation scheme has brought to light the staggering sum of £715 million spent on a plan that failed to result in any significant migration deterrence. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper’s revelations underscore the ineffective nature of the initiative, which saw only a handful of deportations while thousands continued to cross the Channel. As the Labour government pivots towards alternate approaches to border security, the lessons from this costly endeavor will undoubtedly inform future policy considerations.
Original Source: www.expressandstar.com
