First asylum seekers expected ‘imminently’ on Bibby Stockholm barge
The Bibby Stockholm barge could house 500 asylum seekers by the end of the week, a Home Office minister has said.
The first arrivals at the accommodation vessel moored in Portland Port, Dorset, could come on Monday, although the Home Office’s Sarah Dines would only say it will be in use “imminently”.
She confirmed “all possibilities” for tackling the migrant crisis are being examined, following reports that the Government is considering reviving plans to fly people who arrive by unauthorised means 4,000 miles to Ascension Island.
Plans to house asylum seekers on the barge in Dorset have been repeatedly delayed, but Ms Dines told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “We’re expecting pretty soon, imminently this week, in the coming days that people will be on the Bibby Stockholm.
“For operational reasons, you wouldn’t expect me to confirm the hour or the day but it is pretty soon.”
While only a small number of migrants are expected to be housed on the barge at first, Ms Dines indicated it could increase rapidly to its capacity of around 500 males.
Pressed on whether all of them could be on board by the end of the week, Ms Dines said: “Yes, quite possibly it will be 500. We are hoping.”
Hotel bills
The Government hopes the use of the barge and former military bases to house asylum seekers will reduce the cost of hotel bills.
Ms Dines said those arriving in the country via unauthorised means should have “basic but proper accommodation” and that they “can’t expect to stay in a four-star hotel”.
Meanwhile, other measures being considered to deter people from crossing the English Channel in small boats include the revival of previously-dropped plans to send asylum claimants to Ascension.
The proposals to use the British Overseas Territory are apparently being considered by ministers and officials as a “Plan B” if the Rwanda scheme fails.
The volcanic island in the South Atlantic could house an asylum processing centre.
The plans to remove asylum seekers who arrive by unauthorised means to Rwanda have been stalled by legal challenges that will end up in the Supreme Court.
Asked why the Ascension Island plan is being reconsidered after seemingly being rejected by Boris Johnson’s government, Ms Dines said “times change”.
Speaking to Sky News, the safeguarding minister said: “We look at all possibilities. This crisis in the Channel is urgent – we need to look at all possibilities and that is what we are doing.
“We are determined to make sure there isn’t the pull factor for illegal migrants to come to this country, basically to be abused by criminal organised gangs.
“These are international operations and they have got to stop.”
The developments came during the Government’s “small boats week”, in which it is making a series of announcements on the issue that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has promised to solve.
Fines
Fines for employers and landlords who allow people who arrive by irregular means to work for them or live in their properties are to be hugely increased.
Civil penalties for employers will be increased up to a maximum of £45,000 per worker for a first breach and £60,000 for repeat offenders, tripling both from the last increase in 2014.
Landlords face fines going from £1,000 per occupier to £10,000, with repeat breaches going from £3,000 to £20,000. Penalties relating to lodgers will also be increased.
More than 15,000 migrants have arrived in the UK so far this year after crossing the Channel, Government figures show.
Some 339 people made the journey on Friday and Saturday after an eight-day hiatus amid poor weather conditions at sea, taking the provisional total for 2023 to date to 15,071. According to the Home Office, no crossings were recorded on Sunday.
Support our Nation today
For the price of a cup of coffee a month you can help us create an independent, not-for-profit, national news service for the people of Wales, by the people of Wales.
What can they possibly have changed in a matter of days which makes this vessel no longer a fire risk? Chucked on another half a dozen fire extinguishers? As I type this, I am hearing that the first 50 human beings (oh yes, that’s what and who they are) have been moved onto it. This sardine packing exercise is a clear human rights abuse and with this in mind, I fully expect to hear from the Swedish government who should demand that the name of their capital city is removed from it immediately because it appears that they approve of… Read more »
It would be a lovely idea to stick all of the MPs who back this plan, including the fake Labour MPs, on the barge for 6 months, just to see them suffer.
And then tow it out to sea, the Royal Navy could do with target practice!
Stick the mp’s on the boat and give their second homes to refugees to use. The lack of basic decency and trashing of international duties, all to appease a few fascist rags and Farage types. Have the fire service and nhs just been ignored on their worries
I agree with you almost entirely BUT like when MPs offer to live like a homeless person for five minutes in their patronising way, the occupants of the barge would have to double bunk at one end of it so that the MPs would have the room they are accustomed to so maybe we should leave that bit out. Those people are suffering enough.