Home Office buys marquees to accommodate migrants forward of anticipated surge in Channel crossings

The Home Office has purchased marquees to accommodate 2,000 migrants at disused navy websites by the tip of August, Sky News understands.

The tents will begin to be erected over the approaching weeks as a part of emergency plans to cope with an anticipated surge of Channel crossings.

According to The Times, which first reported on the story, Border Force is predicting that the subsequent three months would be the busiest time for the small boat journeys in a repeat of final 12 months.

A Home Office supply advised the newspaper: “It’s obvious we can’t again be in a position where we’re having to spot-book expensive hotels on the fly for migrants.

“There’s nothing fallacious with this type of momentary lodging when wanted. Other international locations do use it as nicely.”

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This will not be the primary time the federal government has used marquees to accommodate asylum seekers – a number of had been erected on the Manston processing centre final autumn to cope with a surge of arrivals.

The tents are a part of a wider technique to in search of out new lodging for asylum seekers to scale back the lodge invoice to accommodate them, which the federal government claims prices taxpayers £6m a day.

On Tuesday, the primary asylum seekers are set to maneuver on to the controversial Bibby Stockholm barge, a Whitehall supply advised Sky News.

An preliminary 50 single males are set to be moved on board the vessel that’s docked in Portland Port in Dorset, with that quantity anticipated to rise to 500 within the coming months.

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A document backlog and 1000’s of individuals making unauthorised crossings of the Channel have strained the system as Prime Minister Rishi Sunak battles to “stop the boats”.

But refugee charities mentioned the usage of such websites is damaging to the wants of susceptible folks, and likewise raised considerations for migrants’ security.

Conservative MPs representing areas the place the amenities are being established have additionally been frightened about how native providers of their constituencies will probably be impacted, akin to police and healthcare.

A month not on time after present process repairs, the Bibby Stockholm was met by protesters because it arrived in Portland Port on Tuesday final week.

Some residents have raised considerations for his or her security on the island with a inhabitants of round 13,000 and argued that it doesn’t have the infrastructure to supply for the newcomers and people already there.

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A Home Office spokeswoman mentioned: “The Bibby Stockholm has completed a statutory inspection and refurbishment and is now berthing in Portland.

“The welfare of these in our care is of the utmost precedence and the barge is now present process ultimate preparations to make sure it complies with all acceptable laws earlier than the arrival of the primary asylum seekers within the coming weeks.”