Home Secretary orders review of taxis used for asylum seekers

The Home Secretary has ordered officials to investigate urgently the use of taxis to transport asylum seekers from their hotels to appointments.

Shabana Mahmood has asked for the issue to be looked at following a BBC investigation which reported some people were travelling long distances, such as to doctors’ appointments, costing hundreds of pounds.

Asked about the report, Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said people will “quite rightly ask why is that necessary”.

“Why should people be taken around in taxis?”

The Cabinet minister told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I’m not surprised that that was a feature that caught people’s eye, and the Home Office are looking at that and I think they should look at it.

“I think a lot of your listeners will quite rightly ask, why should people be taken around in taxis?”

The BBC reported it had asked the Government how much it spends on taxi travel for asylum seekers through a Freedom of Information request, but was told the Home Office does not keep those figures.

It is understood the rate for taxi services are set in a contract and are calculated on a per person per mile rate, rather than on the taxi meter.

A Home Office spokeswoman said: “The Home Secretary has asked the department to urgently look into the use of taxis to transfer asylum seekers.