Fury in UK town as government ‘not providing right asylum seeker data’ | UK | News
The government has denied accusations that the Home Office failed to provide accurate data on asylum seekers to a UK town. Lincolnshire PCC Marc Jones (Independent) said the Home Office did not provide the same information to Lincolnshire Police and South Kesteven District Council (SKDC) about asylum seekers in Grantham. He told members of the Lincolnshire Police and Crime Panel at a meeting on Friday, June 12, that he was confident the force had done all it could to “make appropriate representations” with the information it had.
But problems arise when there are inconsistencies in the information given to various parties, he said. “The part where I think this is broken is it’s clear to me — and these are my words, not the chief’s — that local government and police don’t seem to be given the same information,” he said. “But both sides are told they cannot discuss what they know with others.
“This is unacceptable. This is not in the interest of our community. It is not in the interest of those seeking asylum, because as long as they are members of our community, they need to be protected and kept safe.
“So it’s vital to have accurate information – accurate information – about how many properties there are, how many people are in the properties, what the background information is on the people in the properties.”
LincolnshireLive Ms Jones also reportedly said changes needed to be made on a national scale soon. He added: “This is something we are working on with local government partners, with representations being made to ministers and others to make sure there is one version of the truth and that is the truth.
“Because whether it be [a mistake] Or conspiracy, there are definitely differences in the information given and that is unacceptable.”
A Home Office spokesman denied the allegations and said it was working hard to provide as much information as possible. “We do not recognize this evaluation,” they said.
“Information is shared regularly with all relevant partners in line with their roles and responsibilities, ensuring that measures are taken to protect the safety and security of local communities.”
SKDC has previously raised concerns about the number of asylum seekers staying in Grantham, saying the town takes in disproportionately more refugees than other parts of Lincolnshire.
