£240m cost of Rwanda scheme could have funded over 5.7 million GP appointments instead

EMBARGO: For Immediate Release

The Liberal Democrats have said it is “unforgivable” that the Conservative government has now wasted over £240m on the failed Rwanda deal, as analysis reveals this could have funded over 5.7 million GP appointments instead. 

It comes as it emerges the government made another £100 million payment to Rwanda last April, bringing the ballooning costs of the scheme to nearly £241.5 million. This includes lump sum payments to the Rwandan government, the UK government’s own legal fees and the cost of ministerial trips.

New analysis from the Liberal Democrats has shown that this sum could have paid for 5,749,285 GP appointments instead, at an average cost of £42 per appointment.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Alistair Carmichael MP said: 

“The fact that this Government is content to squander millions on this totally unworkable white elephant of a policy tells you everything you need to know about their priorities.

“Three Home Secretaries and millions of taxpayers’ pounds later, the Conservatives have nothing to show for their failing Rwanda policy. It’s an unforgivable waste of taxpayers' money - and to think this could have paid for more than five million GP appointments just puts salt in the wound. 

“It’s time for the Conservatives to accept reality and abandon this impractical, inhumane and extortionately expensive policy.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

A calculated total of £241,470,000 has been spent on the Rwanda scheme so far. 

This consists of £240 million in payment to the Rwandan Government, £1.43 million on legal fees, and £40,000 on then-Home Secretary Suella Braverman’s March 2023 trip to Rwanda.

According to the King’s Fund, the average cost of a 9-minute GP appointment is £42. More information on these figures can be found here.