Failed Attempts to Find Ports
The Home Office has reportedly given up on securing additional migrant barges, according to insiders. After failed attempts to find willing ports, insiders have stated that gaining new vessels to house asylum seekers is now "not a priority".
Bibby Stockholm: The Only Secured Vessel
The government previously celebrated the acquisition of the Bibby Stockholm migrant barge, which is currently docked in Portland, Dorset. This barge was expected to be the first of many ships to provide a cost-effective alternative to hotels for housing asylum seekers.
Costly Alternative: Hotels
At present, taxpayers are spending £8 million per day to accommodate asylum seekers in hotels. The inability to secure more vessels has resulted in the continued reliance on this expensive option.
Quietly Shelved Efforts
Sources within the government have suggested that efforts to find additional vessels have been quietly abandoned after initial attempts to find welcoming ports were unsuccessful. While it is still possible for a port to express interest in the future, the search for more barges is no longer a priority.
Bibby Stockholm Setbacks
The Bibby Stockholm faced setbacks when an outbreak of legionella led to the disembarkation of the initial group of migrants within days last summer. Additionally, the cost of procuring the barge, which has not yet reached full capacity, was revealed to be £22 million. Despite this, ministers argue that it still represents value for money.
Alternative Accommodation Sites
A spokesperson for the Home Office stated that they are exploring various alternative accommodation sites for housing asylum seekers. This includes considering vessels that have been successfully used by the Scottish and Dutch governments, as well as former military sites.
Decreasing Reliance on Migrant Hotels
The government is currently in the process of winding down its use of migrant hotels. Fifty hotels have already been closed, with another fifty slated for closure by spring. This move comes as ministers claim a victory in clearing the backlog of legacy asylum cases, reducing the overall backlog to 98,000.
Criticism from Shadow Immigration Minister
Shadow Immigration Minister Stephen Kinnock criticized the Bibby Stockholm as a symbol of the Conservative Party's broken asylum system. Despite promises to end the use of hotels by the end of last year, there are still 56,000 people being accommodated in hotels at a cost of £8 million per day.
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