The UK government began moving some migrants on to a large residential barge on its southern coast on Monday, as part of plans to use cheaper alternatives to hotels as temporary accommodation while asylum claims are processed.
The government says it wants to limit the “pull” factors attracting asylum seekers to the UK, where more than 50,000 are currently living in hotels after they made the final part of their journey in small dinghies across the English Channel.
Plans to use barges and disused military sites have drawn protests from local communities however, with some complaining over the possible impact to services and questioning whether the sites will become targets for protests.
Others have described the housing for people arriving from countries such as Iraq, Iran, Syria, Afghanistan or Albania as inhumane.
Sarah Dines, the minister for interior affairs, told Sky News earlier on Monday that the barge formed part of a plan to increase the number of sites the government could use to house migrants, after the bill for hotels rose to £6 million (€6.9 million) a day.
“What it sends is a forceful message that there will be proper accommodation but not luxurious,” Ms Dines said.
The government has said the Bibby Stockholm barge will only house single men and provide “basic and functional” accommodation, along with healthcare provision, catering facilities and on-board security.
On Monday, some 50 migrants moved in to the vessel. A person familiar with the situation said they had started arriving around midday.
“The welfare of asylum seekers in our care is of the upmost importance,” a spokesperson for the interior ministry said. “[We] continue to work closely with the local police and our partners on-the-ground to ensure the safety of any individuals housed on the site and the wider community.” – Reuters