An independent watchdog has warned that the UK’s aid programme in Libya could be harming vulnerable migrants.

About £9m is spent providing water and sanitation for refugees in detention centres, training Libya’s coastguard, and helping migrants return home. But the Independent Commission for Aid Impact says that support could be leading to more migrants being detained and denied a right to asylum.

The government said any such risks around aid had been considered. It added that it protected migrants’ human rights and improved their conditions. Libya is the main departure point for migrants attempting the sea crossing to Europe and is home to up to one million migrants and refugees, according to ICAI.