Labour minister dodges key question on cost of housing migrants in barracks | Politics | News
A Labor Secretary has dodged questions about whether housing migrants in barracks would cost taxpayers more than hotel rooms. The Home Office confirmed on Monday that two barracks in Scotland and the south of England would house around 900 asylum seekers.
Plans call for the men to be housed at Cameron Barracks in Inverness and Crowborough Training Camp in East Sussex. And if the first two sites work, ministers could step up proposals to use more barracks. The Ministry of Internal Affairs hopes to eventually house up to 10,000 migrants in military zones.
Prefabricated, modular units similar to portakabins can be built on the Ministry of Defense (MoD).
Asked whether it would be more costly to house immigrants on military bases rather than hotels, Defense Minister Luke Pollard insisted that “the public wants to see these hotels nearby.”
But he added: “We are looking at what is possible and in some cases these bases may create a different cost for the hotels, but I think we need to reflect the public mood that these asylum hotels should be closed.”
Hotels cost a staggering £144.98 per person per night. Staying at the former military base in Wethersfield, Essex costs £132 per person per night.
Mr Pollard signaled to BBC Breakfast that other bases were also being considered as accommodation, saying: “Some bases are small, some bases are larger in terms of numbers, but I think the debate about bases in the news today is to prove the concept, to see if it can work.”
We believe that these bases can provide adequate shelter for refugees.”
Mr Pollard said it was not “luxury accommodation” but was “sufficient for the essentials”.
He added: “This will allow us to take pressure off asylum hotel sites and allow them to close more quickly.”
The labor minister added that the Ministry of Defense was working with the Ministry of Internal Affairs “to keep some of the bases afloat at the moment.”
Mr Pollard continued: “We need to make sure that we are in contact with local authorities and councils in those areas to make sure that the facilities are there, that adequate safety arrangements are in place and that there are adequate conditions for what is expected in those areas.”
This comes after the Sunday Express revealed that more than 90 per cent of councils will host refugees by the end of this year.
Nearly 40,000 people in London, the East of England, South East England and South West England will be given taxpayer-funded homes as ministers step up efforts to close migrant hotels.
In total, the Home Office needs to find accommodation for distribution for more than 66,000 refugees. And current plans only allow for enough space for 46,640 people, creating a shortfall of almost 20,000 people.
But the number of cash-strapped local authorities hosting refugees has increased from 82% in the summer and is expected to reach 92% “by the end of the year”.
Service User Demand Plans prepared by the Ministry of Internal Affairs reveal how many immigrants can be accommodated in each region.
Around 13,486 people are expected to live in dispersed accommodation (houses, flats and bedrooms) in North West England.
But Home Office records show 17,218 people live in taxpayer-funded homes in towns and cities across the region, and authorities still need to find homes for 1,809 people.
In response, asylum seeker accommodation providers are seeking accommodation for 12,032 migrants in South East England. But 3,118 people already live there and the plan only allows for 14,092 people.
The document, sent to the Home Affairs Select Committee, revealed that a further 12,206 people should be housed in London.
Five of the 12 counties have yet to meet 50% of their goals for moving people into dispersed housing.
But the Ministry of Internal Affairs is so overwhelmed across the country that it faces a shortage of almost 20,000 beds for asylum seekers.
Service User Demand Plans allocated 114,791 spaces to asylum seekers across the country.
Approximately 68,151 people have already been housed, while 66,021 people are waiting for accommodation. The North East and North West of England have exceeded their targets but need to find additional homes for 2,000 people between them.
The West Midlands will almost certainly exceed the planned amount, with 10,944 homes expected to be accommodated in the area. However, 9,086 people already live there and 4,930 more are waiting.
