Home Office asks for emergency £2.6bn after asylum seeker hotels overspend

Select committee chair has questioned why cost of housing asylum seekers was not included in department’s original estimates

The Home Office has sought an emergency cash payment of £2.6bn after unforeseen expenditure on hotels for asylum seekers.

James Cleverly has made a formal request for the money after a shortfall last year, when Suella Braverman was in charge for more than 11 months.