A massive 93-metre long “mega barge” used to house more than 500 people could be unveiled this week to accommodate asylum seekers.
Suella Braverman hopes in the coming days to announce a leasing agreement to use the Bibby Stockholm “floatel” in Portland, Dorset, under widely criticised plans to reduce the reliance on hotels.
Conservative MP Richard Drax, who represents the area, has described the use of boats as “totally and utterly out of the question”, and will exacerbate existing problems “ten-fold”.
Details of any agreement with the Liverpool-based Bibby Marine Limited and the costs were unclear, but the vessel can house up to 506 people.
According to reports, the three-storey barge has been refurbished since it was criticised as an “oppressive environment” when the Dutch government used it to house asylum seekers.
It was also used by energy firm Petrofac for workers building the Shetland Gas Plant.
The Mirror reported that chartering such a vessel costs between £8,000 to £15,000 a day.
A Home Office spokeswoman said: “The pressure on the asylum system has continued to grow and requires us to look at a range of accommodation options which offer better value for money for taxpayers than hotels.”
Plans to use two ex-military bases and a former prison were met with anger by local Conservatives when they were unveiled last week.
A Conservative-run local authority launched legal action against the Home Office over the proposal to use RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire as a site for up to 2,000 asylum seekers.
Immigration minister Robert Jenrick announced the sites under plans to offer asylum seekers accommodation to cater to their “essential living needs and nothing more”.
The Home Office argues new types of accommodation must be used to reduce a £6 million daily bill of using hotels.
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South Dorset MP Mr Drax is yet to comment on the possible use of Portland to dock the barge, but he was among Conservatives previously criticising Mr Jenrick’s plans.
Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, told The Mirror: “We are deeply concerned by the Government’s plans to accommodate people seeking asylum on military bases and apparently barges that are entirely unsuitable to their needs.”
He added: “The use of unsuitable contingency accommodation is a direct consequence of the chronic delays and huge backlog in the asylum system. There would be no need for hotels if cases were processed promptly and effectively.”
Additional reporting by PA
