Only 15 migrants boarded the Bibby Stolhom barge in Dorset. four-star hotels and a barge, said the Attorney General, as 20 asylum-seekers stand up to board a boat docked in Dorset port.
Ministers are threatening to withdraw public funding for their housing if asylum seekers continue to refuse to transfer from hotels to the Bibby Stockholm barge in Portland near Weymouth.
Only 15 boarded on Monday, but 20 are resisting on on the grounds that their movement is inhumane.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Alex Chalk said he found it “unlikely” that ending their government support would be illegal as it defends the government's right to provide housing that is simple but “perfectly safe”.< /p>
“This is not about choice, but about reasonable provision. We don't say, “Choose for yourself,” he said. “What's perfectly legal is that the British say, 'This is what we offer.'”
“This is not four-star accommodation, but it is perfectly safe and complies with fire regulations. It's spartan. It's a bit austere, but honestly it's reasonable.”
Asked if it would be legal to remove the housing subsidy, he said: “This is something that the courts have to consider. Unlikely to be illegal, but all cases are dealt with on the facts.”
Alex Chock, Judge Clerk says translation migrants on a barge is “reasonable provision”.
He said the alternative would be to house 51,000 migrants in hotels for £6m a day or £2bn a year, money that could be spent on schools, hospitals and other public services.
“It is perfectly reasonable for the British to say that we are a fair country. This means that we will offer shamelessly simple housing, but we are not going to be exploited and have to pay £6 million a day, £2 billion a year. This is money that should not be spent on the priorities of the British people,” he said.
The 20 people refusing to move on are being supported by the charity Care4Calais, which said people managed to avoid transfer for reasons including a person suffering from visual loss, an asylum seeker, a survivor of torture, victims of slavery and others who “traumatic experiences at sea '.
The charity said some had filed appeals based on their “intense fear of water” after witnessing people drown in the sea and accused the Home Office of failing to do a proper due diligence. the people they intended to place on the barge.
Steve Smith, chief executive of the refugee charity, said: “Keeping any person in a 'quasi-floating prison' like Bibby Stockholm is inhumane. Trying to do this to this group of people is incredibly cruel. Even just getting notifications causes them a lot of anxiety.”
The Home Office said those who refuse accommodation at the Bibby Stockholm could face consequences, including a delay or complete withdrawal of their asylum application.
The Department also confirmed that their right to free taxpayer housing could be revoked because asylum seekers “can't choose” where to stay.
Residential barge (Bibby Stockholm) for asylum seekers
Those who refuse to be transferred to the barge will be given 24 hours to change their mind before the department considers withdrawing their accommodation support. lead to further lawsuits by migrants.
Mr Chalk told Times Radio that the government's priority is to “stop the boats” as problems continue, likening it to a leaky bucket. More than 15,000 migrants crossed the Channel this year.
He said: “The reality is that if you have a hole in your bucket, if you keep filling it, you will always have problems. ” and “as soon as you stop the boats, no more water will flow into this bucket”.
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