The government will be looking carefully at what money can and cannot be recouped after it scrapped the Rwanda deportation scheme, Downing Street has said.

 A No 10 spokesperson said any savings would be redirected to a new Border Security Command to tackle small boat crossings.

The Rwandan government said it had “fully upheld its side of the agreement”.

Dr Doris Uwicyeza Picard, of the Rwandan ministry of justice, said the country had upheld its side of the deal to help the British government and that the issue was a “UK problem”.

Dr Picard said: “We are under no obligation to provide any refund. We will remain in constant discussions. However, it is understood that there is no obligation on either side to request or receive a refund.”

The Rwanda scheme, which originated under the Conservatives, aimed to deter small boats crossings in the Channel by sending some people who arrived in the UK illegally to the east African country.

However, the plan was stalled by legal challenges and no migrants were sent there before the election.

Under the scheme, the Home Office had agreed to pay money into a fund to support economic growth in Rwanda, as well as providing extra payments to cover the cost of processing and relocating individuals there.

As part of this, the UK had already paid £220m to Rwanda by the end of 2023.

Some future payments, which were tied to the number of individuals relocated there, will no longer be paid.

Not a single migrant has been forcibly deported to the country and only four failed asylum seekers have voluntarily flown to Rwanda after being given a £3,000 incentive to go.