Home Office chief doubts sending asylum seekers to Rwanda will be a deterrent

Matthew Rycroft said that without evidence to justify the plan he could not be sure it provides value for money

The civil servant in charge of the Home Office has said he does not have evidence to show the plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda will act as a deterrent.

In a letter released at the weekend, Matthew Rycroft, the permanent secretary at the department, said that because the evidence was not available to justify the plan, he could not be sure it would provide value for money to the taxpayer.