MPs, Bedford’s Mayor and local councillors have raised concerns over plans to house asylum seekers at Yarl’s Wood, north of Bedford.
Richard Fuller, the North East Beds Conservative MP, said: “I have long opposed the dysfunctional asylum system that has led to a large detention estate including Yarl’s Wood.
“While of course it is important that accommodation for asylum seekers is appropriate, my primary concerns lie with the safety of local residents given recent experience at other centres of asylum seeker going missing.
“During a meeting this week, I sought assurances from the Minister about security of the centre. I understand that while asylum seekers will be free to leave during the day, they will be under curfew at night.”
The Bedford Borough Labour Group said it was appalled to learn of prefab-style accommodation being constructed at Yarl’s Wood in preparation to house male asylum seekers there.
The Bedford Labour MP Mohamed Yasin raised this issue with the Minister in Parliament, but said he was told that accommodation met ‘required standards’.
He said the minister disregarded the other issues he raised about a hostile environment for people who have already suffered trauma, and if they would be able to access appropriate healthcare and legal services.
Labour Group Leader, Sue Oliver, said: “For many years we have had grave concerns about the conditions faced by the women housed at Yarl’s Wood, and have had to push for access to visit and scrutinise the health & social care they were receiving. Now we hear accommodation is being thrown up to house 200 men on the same remote site.”
Councillor Louise Jackson, Portfolio Holder for Public Health, said: “This is a particularly nasty proposal from the Home Office – rule changes snuck through without Parliamentary scrutiny and the creation of ‘asylum camps’ to house some extremely vulnerable people. Nobody is going to be truly free to leave a gated industrial estate in the middle of nowhere, and there’s little clarity available on what amenities will be provided.
“The Government need to urgently rethink this.”
Mayor Dave Hodgson said: “The Council has been informed by the Home Office that they are planning to provide additional temporary accommodation units at the Yarl’s Wood Immigration Removal Centre for migrants waiting for decisions on asylum claims. We have asked the Home Office to urgently provide more details about these plans, the potential impact on the Centre and on any surrounding communities.
“As yet there has been very little communication with the Council or the local community. We need to know far more about what accommodation is being provided and the support that will be available to the people who may be housed there.
“Concerns have been raised before about issues at Yarl’s Wood. With the little information we have received, I am worried about the ongoing wellbeing of those housed there, many of whom will be vulnerable and having fled awful conditions and atrocities. The Home Office must ensure that any additional accommodation it is providing is civilised and respectful of the experiences of those it is housing.”
Sign up for your daily digest of local Bedfordshire news here: https://www.bedsbulletin.com/bulletin/sign-up/
