The UK government wants to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda.

It is proposing new laws to overcome legal obstacles after the Supreme Court said its plan was unlawful.

What is the Rwanda asylum plan?

Some asylum seekers arriving in the UK would be sent to Rwanda, to have their claims processed there, during a five-year trial.

If successful, they could be granted refugee status and allowed to stay. If not, they could apply to settle in Rwanda on other grounds, or seek asylum in another "safe third country".

No asylum seeker would be able to apply to return to the UK.

Anyone "entering the UK illegally" after 1 January 2022 could be sent to Rwanda, the government said, with no limit on numbers.

Ministers argue the plan would deter people from arriving in the UK on small boats across the English Channel.

However, when the scheme was first announced, the most senior civil servant in the Home Office said there was little evidence the plan would have a deterrent effect "significant enough to make the policy value for money".

No asylum seeker has yet been sent to Rwanda, a small landlocked country in east-central Africa, 4,000 miles (6,500km) from the UK.

The first flight was scheduled to go in June 2022, but was cancelled after legal challenges.

What was the Supreme Court ruling and is Rwanda safe?

In November 2023, the UK Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the Rwanda scheme was unlawful.

It said genuine refugees sent there would be at risk of being returned to their home countries, where they could face harm.

This breaches the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), which prohibits torture and inhuman treatment. The UK is a signatory to the ECHR.

The ruling also cited concerns about Rwanda's poor human rights record, and its past treatment of refugees.

The Supreme Court said that in 2021, the UK government had itself criticised Rwanda for its "extrajudicial killings, deaths in custody, enforced disappearances and torture".

It also highlighted an incident in 2018, when Rwandan police opened fire on protesting refugees.

What is in the new Rwanda bill?

After the Supreme Court ruling, the government introduced a new bill to make clear in UK law that Rwanda is a safe country.

The legislation - which must be approved by both Houses of Parliament - orders the courts to ignore key sections of the Human Rights Act, in an attempt to sidestep the Supreme Court's judgement.

It also orders the courts to ignore other British laws or international rules - such as the international Refugee Convention - that stand in the way of deportations to Rwanda.

Some MPs have criticised the legislation because they believe it breaks international law.

Why are some Tory MPs unhappy about the Rwanda bill?

Despite opposition from some Conservative MPs who wanted the legislation to go further, the bill was passed in the House of Commons on 17 January.

In the end, only 11 Conservative MPs voted against it, including former home secretary Suella Braverman.

The bill now goes to the House of Lords, where it is expected to face significant challenge.

The Lords are unlikely to vote it down completely, but they can propose changes which would delay its progress.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the Lords should "do the right thing", and pass the bill, and that he wanted flights carrying asylum seekers to take off to Rwanda "as quickly as possible".

What does the new treaty with Rwanda say?

As well as introducing the Safety of Rwanda Bill, the UK government also signed a new migration treaty with Rwanda.

Home Secretary James Cleverley says it guarantees that any people sent to Rwanda to claim asylum would not be at risk of being returned to their home countries.

It also includes a new independent monitoring committee to ensure Rwanda complies with its obligations, and that British judges are included in a new appeals process.

What will the Rwanda plan cost?

The UK government says it has paid £240m to Rwanda so far. A further payment of £50m is expected in the 2024-25 financial year.

The Labour Party estimates the government will pay about £400m to Rwanda under the scheme, but the government has not confirmed the total cost.

However, official figures suggest that removing each individual to a third country, such as Rwanda, costs £63,000 more than keeping them in the UK.

Mr Sunak claimed that the Rwanda plan will "literally save us billions in the long run" but did not explain how.

The Home Office said there would be no cost if the policy prevents individuals from entering the UK.

The UK's asylum system costs nearly £4bn a year, including about £8m a day on hotel accommodation.

Failure to process asylum claims efficiently "has led to unacceptable costs to the taxpayer", a report by MPs said in October 2023.

Rwandan President Paul Kagame offered to return money paid by the UK if no asylum seekers end up being sent to the country.

A Rwandan government spokesperson later said the country had "no obligation" to repay the money, but may consider a refund if requested.

Source:
courtesy of BBC NEWS

by BBC NEWS

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