Migrant crisis: Britain now spending £2BILLION of taxpayer money a year on asylum seekers
Britain has now spent £2bn since the Rwanda deal was signed a year ago today
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Britain has now spent £2billion since the Rwanda deal was signed a year ago today with most of the money being spent on hotels to house migrants.
The scheme which removes asylum seekers who come to the UK illegally and transports them to the East African country has been delayed by legal challenges.
It comes after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said tackling illegal Channel migrants was complicated and there was “no single, simple solution”.
Britain also made a £120million payment for five years’ work to ensure accommodation facilities were ready.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said there was 'no single, simple solution'
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Since then hotel costs for asylum-seekers being housed in Britain are estimated to be £1.86billion.
Another £300,000 was also spent on official visits to the capital Kigali by Patel and her successor Suella Braverman.
And a Rwanda flight for seven migrants, which was halted last year after a legal challenge, is thought to have cost £500,000.
Official figures show that close to 45,000 migrants have crossed the border from France since the Rwanda deal.
Sunak has pledged to stop the small boats but told the ConservativeHome website: “It won’t happen overnight.”
According to the latest Home Office statistics, more than 1,100 migrants have crossed the Channel in the past week.
Between April 4 and April 10, 26 small boats made the journey from northern France to England.
Last Wednesday also saw the largest number of migrants travelling across in one day in 2023, with 492 refugees in 11 boats.
£300,000 was spent on official visits to the capital Kigali by Patel and her successor Suella Braverman
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In the latest incident, at least 10 people from sub-Saharan Africa drowned off the Tunisian coast, according to the national guard.
A Home Office spokesperson said: "Our highest priority is protecting the safety and security of this country, which is why the UK has world-class police, security and intelligence agencies and a robust counter-terrorism framework.
"If an individual of national security interest entered the UK as an illegal migrant, we would take the firmest possible steps, which could include removal, action by law enforcement or other appropriate measures.
"As the Prime Minister has said, this Government is focussed on stopping small boats, and the Illegal Migration Bill will enable us to take back control of our borders and ensure we have an asylum system that is fair, safe and legal."