The Home Office spent £15 million buying a derelict prison contaminated with asbestos amid political pressure to stop housing migrants in hotels, according to Whitehall's spending watchdog.The Government department cut corners and paid more than it needed to in its haste to acquire the Northeye site in Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex, but this was "ultimately deemed unfit for its intended purpose due to contamination", the National Audit Office said.

The Home Office spent £15 million buying a derelict prison contaminated with asbestos amid political pressure to stop housing migrants in hotels, according to Whitehall's spending watchdog.The Government department cut corners and paid more than it needed to in its haste to acquire the Northeye site in Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex, but this was "ultimately deemed unfit for its intended purpose due to contamination", the National Audit Office said.