Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reasons he used a private charter flight for his visit to Rwanda in December 2023; and whether his Department made an assessment of the potential merits of using alternative forms of transport.

All Government spend goes through thorough due diligence to ensure best value for money.

Stopping the boats is one of our top priorities. The cost of the asylum system could reach up to £11 billion per year by 2026, so bold solutions like our partnership with Rwanda are required.

Various elements, such as security and timing, will be taken into consideration when looking at Government travel, including use of the Government’s plane.

On the visit, the Home Secretary signed a joint treaty with his counterpart, Foreign Minister Dr Vincent Biruta, strengthening the UK and Rwanda’s Migration and Economic Development Partnership and directly addressing the concerns of the Supreme Court.