The Home Office's Migration and Economic Development Partnership (MEDP) with Rwanda, which aimed to process asylum claims offshore and deter small boat crossings, was cancelled in July 2024 after no individuals were successfully relocated. The scheme faced significant scrutiny over value-for-money, feasibility, and whether it met accounting officer standards, with estimated costs of £11,000 per person and unclear deterrent effects.
UIN: HCWS811 Yesterday, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and the President of the French Republic announced a first of its kind agreement, which will be operationalised in the coming weeks, between the UK and France to return people …
In July 2024, the government announced the cancellation of the Migration and Economic Development Partnership with Rwanda (MEDP).21 We noted that nobody had been removed under the scheme, and the Department told us that there were no flights under the …
When the Chief Secretary to the Treasury approved the acquisition of the Northeye site on 25 March 2023, he noted that the value-for-money case was marginal and based on assumptions that were highly uncertain.71 The cost of remediating the building …
When we asked the Home Office what it had done to understand the risks before acquiring the Northeye site, it told us it did a “fair amount of due diligence” and repeatedly emphasised that “with the benefit of hindsight” 22 …
The Home Office does not yet know how it will evaluate the impact and value for money of the Rwanda partnership. The success of the Rwanda partnership is dependent on whether it deters people from making dangerous and illegal journeys …
On the basis of two reports by the Comptroller and Auditor General, we took evidence from the Home Office about its partnership with the Government of Rwanda and its plans to accommodate people seeking asylum.1 Type: conclusion | Number: 1 …
The Home Office confirmed that the agreement with Rwanda was designed to start relocations quickly and then scale up to significant volumes of people. We asked about the Home Office’s ability to manage the practical implications of relocating people, and …
The Home Office has estimated that it would cost £11,000 to fly each relocated individual to Rwanda. Witnesses told us that this was an internal estimate and actual costs would depend on a number of variables. The Home Office will …
We asked the Home Office how it proposed to report any additional costs to Parliament so that they could be scrutinised. The Accounting Officer told us that he was committed to transparency and reiterated that the costs of the partnership …
We asked the Home Office why it had not submitted to competition five of the contracts relating to the new sites, worth £243 million of the £253 million it had spent through contracts. The Home Office told us that it …
We asked the Home Office whether it was still satisfied that it was getting value for money, given the costs of the accommodation and the fact that capacity was much lower than anticipated. The Home Office’s latest assessment of value …
The success—and value for money—of the Rwanda partnership depends on whether it deters people from making dangerous and illegal journeys to the UK, including small boat crossings. In 2023, the Home Office estimated that illegal entries need to reduce by …
Accounting Officers are responsible for approving, in advance, all significant initiatives, policies, programmes and projects, and should provide assurance to Parliament that those activities are meeting the accounting officer standards set out in Managing Public Money – regularity, propriety, value
The National Audit Office found that the Home Office had established arrangements to test whether the partnership was working and to oversee payments. We asked whether payments would stop if an individual left Rwanda, and how the Home Office would …
The Chairs of the Public Accounts and Home Affairs Committees have repeatedly questioned the Home Office about the lack of information available to Parliament on costs the Rwanda partnership.48 Despite raising these concerns over the Accounting Officer’s willingness to share …
The Home Office told us that the number of people that could be relocated to Rwanda under the partnership is uncapped. We asked about its ability to scale up to relocate more than 50,000 people to Rwanda and if it …
In response to: Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill 2023: legal position
In response to: The Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill: factsheets
In response to: Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill
UIN: HCWS430 The Government today laid a statutory statement, in line with section 20(8) of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010, confirming its intention to ratify the UK-Rwanda Agreement on an Asylum Partnership (‘the treaty’). The treaty will be …
UIN: HLWS427 My rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department (James Cleverly) has today made the following Written Ministerial Statement:The Government today laid a statutory statement, in line with section 20(8) of the Constitutional Reform and …
This factsheet provides more information about the bill which was introduced in the House of Commons on 7 December 2023.
Impact assessments relating to the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill which was introduced on 7 December 2023.
The government's legal position in respect of the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill 2023.
New legislation to make clear that Rwanda is a safe country for asylum seekers.
Statutory statement on the provision of an asylum partnership to strengthen shared international commitments on the protection of refugees and migrants.
The UK Government will pay £370 million under the UK-Rwanda Partnership, a further £20,000 per individual and £120 million once the first 300 people have been relocated, plus £150,874 per individual for processing and operational costs, according to a new …
Direction: to_committee
In response to: Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill: policy statement
Evidence of the safety of the Republic of Rwanda for the purposes of relocating individuals under the terms of the Migration and Economic Development Partnership.
Monitoring plan proposal and Monitoring Committee terms of reference.
Supporting evidence relating to the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill which was introduced on 7 December 2023.
Direction: to_committee
Direction: from_committee
Direction: to_committee
UIN: HCWS101 On 15 November, the Supreme Court handed down its judgment in relation to the Migration and Economic Development Partnership between the UK and Rwanda. The Court acknowledged that changes can be delivered to address their concerns. We have …
UIN: HLWS96 My rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department (James Cleverly) has today made the following Written Ministerial Statement:On 15 November, the Supreme Court handed down its judgment in relation to the Migration and Economic …
In response to: UK-Rwanda treaty: provision of an asylum partnership
Treaty between the governments of the UK and Rwanda for the provision of an asylum partnership to strengthen shared commitments on the protection of refugees and migrants.
We are deeply concerned that the Home Office’s case-by-case risk assessments prior to issuing notices of intent to remove potentially inadmissible asylum claimants to Rwanda appear to be inadequate. There is evidence that a significant number of vulnerable people, to …
Should removals to Rwanda be operationalised after the legal challenges are complete, the Government must record and publish full equality data, disaggregated by Equality Act protected characteristics, of people issued with a notice of intent; people issued with a notice …
This report examines the Home Office’s progress in delivering the asylum and protection transformation programme., including the potential impact of the programme on the wider asylum system. Report type: value_for_money | Departments: ['Home Office'] | Topics: ['Borders and immigration', 'Refugees
Direction: to_committee
In response to: Memorandum of understanding between the UK and Rwanda
MoU between the Government of the United Kingdom and the Government of the Republic of Rwanda for the provision of an asylum partnership arrangement.
In response to: Migration and Economic Development Partnership: asylum process
In response to: Migration and Economic Development Partnership: reception and accommodation
The Government’s stated purpose of the Migration and Economic Development Programme with Rwanda is to deter people from seeking to arrive in the UK by irregular means. It is not clear as yet whether it will have that effect. We …
The Home Office must provide more detailed costings for its Migration and Economic Development Partnership with Rwanda, including estimates of the likely cost within the current financial year of relocations and probable costs of relocations during the full five years …
The Home Office must also set out what steps it is taking to ensure that the mental and physical wellbeing of those who are relocated to Rwanda is secured for the long term. The agreement with Rwanda implies that the …
Following the Minister’s admission that from January to November 2021 the UK returned only five people who had arrived on small boats, it is clear that the UK’s arrangements for the return of failed or inadmissible asylum seekers to Europe …
We urge the Government to show leadership through redoubling efforts to engage and co-operate with international partners. The provision of safe and legal routes to the UK should be a key part of the Government’s strategy to counter the criminal …
The announcement of this policy appears to have been made prematurely. When the Government has been asked for details, it has consistently responded that these were being worked out. Announcing a policy before finalising the details is bad practice, particularly …
UIN: HCWS855 Global Britain has a proud record of helping those fleeing persecution, oppression or tyranny from around the world. In addition to providing £10 billion each year to support people in need through overseas aid, the UK is a …