Migrant crisis 'to last at least another five years', government memo says

The memo says the two facilities in Essex and Lincolnshire are designed to receive 3,700 Channel migrants directly from Dover. Photo: Gareth Fuller/PA Wire

The migration crisis is expected to continue for at least another five years, government memo says.

An internal document designed for senior government officials at the Department of the Interior says that the government plans to use the abandoned RAF bases and prison to house migrants for three to five years, and possibly longer.

Two bases at Wethersfield in Essex and Scampton in Lincolnshire are designed to receive 3,700 migrants from La Mansha directly from Dover after checking their health and safety.

The Home Office is «still working» on plans to accommodate 1,000 asylum seekers. at the former HMP Northeye on the outskirts of Bexhill in East Sussex.

The mass accommodation centers are set to cut the cost of £6m a day to house 51,000 migrants in nearly 400 hotels amid a backlog of more than 170,000 applications asylum seekers are pending.

Ministers have only publicly stated that they have permission to build these sites for up to one year, but they have declined to reveal any future plans other than that.< /p>

The memorandum will raise fears that government officials believe migrants' mass residences may be needed until 2028, despite Rishi Sunak's promise to «stop the boats.» jpg» /> Excerpt from the leaked memo. : Liz Anderton

A memo dated March 24, 2023 makes a value-for-money argument for four properties versus hotel accommodation costs for migrants.

“[Name of Government Official] is happy with the [value for money] VfM at Bexhill, Wethersfield and Scampton – for the first two we say VfM will be in use for the 5 years planned for those sites (Bexhill could potentially be used for longer)” , says the memo.

“This assumes that we are in hotels for this period. If this is not the case and/or if our costs are higher than we thought, there may be problems with the VfM. Regarding Scampton, our recommendation (with HS [Secretary of the Interior]) is to use the site for 3 years, not 2.”

This assumes that if Scampton is used for only two years, it will have no value. for money, potentially costing the taxpayer £2 million more than if the migrants were accommodated in hotels.

The memo also states that the barge in Portland, Dorset, will only provide value for money if it has a capacity of 1,000 people. than the current plan to 500.

His disclosure comes just days after six Afghan migrants died when their boat sank in the English Channel, and the discovery of Legionella bacteria forced the evacuation of 39 asylum seekers from the Bibby barge Stockholm in Portland, the fourth «mass housing» site for 500 migrants, designed to reduce hotel bills.

On Sunday, the Home Office confirmed that 509 people crossed the English Channel in 10 boats on Saturday, bringing the total to for the year exceeded 16,000 people. Last week, the total number of migrants crossing the English Channel since 2018 surpassed 100,000.

Government sources said ministers remain confident they will stop the boats, but the UK will still face the threat of illegal migration on other routes and an alternative to hotels is needed.

The memorandum came about as a result of a judicial review of the Home Office's decision to turn Wethersfield and Scampton into refugee camps by two councils and one resident. They strongly oppose these locations as unsuitable locations that could put unsustainable pressure on local services and infrastructure.

The government is using what it calls Class Q powers to circumvent normal planning rules by saying that the asylum crisis is a «national crisis». Emergency», which means that he needs to use the sites. This gives permission for up to 12 months.

Dame Priti Patel, a former home secretary who has spoken out against Wethersfield, said she was concerned about the home office's evasiveness about long-term plans for the site, the lack of transparency and failure to solve local problems.

She said: “Local residents and councils will be deeply alarmed to learn that asylum seekers will be housed in this location for five years. I expect local councils as well as public sector partners to express concern that this site has been in use for five years, which has not been previously reported.»

Dame Priti Patel spoke out against plans to house migrants in Wethersfield, Essex. Photo: Jamie Lorriman for The Telegraph

Tim Lawton, member of the House of Commons Home Affairs Committee, said: “This issue is not going away. If the French don't change their policy on intercepting and detaining migrants, and we have Rwanda to take them in, and other Rwanda as it won't be enough, this can go on.

«It makes sense to plan for the worst case and make sure we have capacity as an alternative to spending on hotels, which is the worst-case scenario for everyone.»

A Home Office spokesman said: «Providing housing at surplus military installations will also provide more orderly, suitable housing for those arriving on small boats, helping to reduce hotel usage.

“We understand the concerns of local communities and will work closely with councils and key partners to manage the impact of using these sites, including keeping in touch with local police to make sure appropriate action is taken.”