Despite the fact that the Conservatives used the vessel to address the high costs of reservations at hotels, the government has stated that it would instead focus on lowering the backlog of refugee applications. This is despite the fact that the Conservatives utilized the vessel.
As part of the government’s intention to restructure the asylum system, beginning at the end of January 2025, the Bibby Stockholm barge will no longer be able to offer housing for those who are looking for protection.
The barge, which is currently moored in Dorset, was established by the previous Conservative administration as part of its efforts to reduce the amount of money that individuals who had arrived in the United Kingdom by small boat crossings were required to pay for their hotel bills while they waited for their applications to be adjudicated. The barge is currently moored in Dorset.
In a recent statement, the Home Office announced that it will be terminating the contract beginning in the next year “as part of the government’s commitment to clear the backlog and fix the asylum system.” In comparison to the cost of extending the contract, this will result in a savings of more than twenty million pounds at the end of the negotiation process.
According to the Home Office, the evacuation of the barge, which has the ability to house up to 500 men, is a component of a projected savings of £7.7 billion in asylum expenditures over the next 10 years. This savings is expected to be realized over the course of three decades. This is taken into consideration in combination with the execution of the new policies that have been suggested by the Labour government.
“We are determined to restore order to the asylum system so that it operates swiftly, firmly, and fairly and ensures that the rules are properly enforced,” said Dame Angela Eagle, who is the Minister for Border Security and Asylum. “We are determined to ensure that the rules are properly enforced.”
For the purpose of decreasing the amount of money spent on accommodation, which is causing the general public to suffer significant expenses, it has been revealed that the Home Secretary plans to start the process of clearing the asylum backlog.
“The Bibby Stockholm will continue to be in use until the contract expires in January 2025.”
In August 2023, the Conservative administration began using the three-story barge to house asylum seekers, despite the fact that there were complaints from members of parliament, human rights groups, and members of the community on the subject.
Several legal challenges and complaints were filed against it, and not long after the original group boarded the vessel, an outbreak of Legionella bacteria was detected in the water system of the barge. This development occurred not long after the initial group boarded the vessel.
In December, a person named Albania, who was on board requesting asylum, suddenly departed while they were on board.
However, the party remained steadfast in its support of the accommodation, with the then-home secretary James Cleverly stating that he was “totally confident” that the Bibby Stockholm was complying with all of the legal criteria. He went on to remark, “We take both the physical and the mental health of the people who are in the asylum estate very seriously.”
Labor has been a long-standing opponent of the program, and it has claimed that it will implement further steps to address the issue of the backlog of asylum applications, in addition to addressing the issue of illegal immigration.
As of right now, the government has already abandoned the Rwanda deportation plan proposed by the Conservatives. Instead, it has announced that it would redirect money to establish a new Border Security Command (BSC) in order to combat the people-smuggling gangs that are responsible for engineering the Channel crossings.
Additionally, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has pledged to combat illegal migration “at source” by providing 84 million pounds to finance health and education programs overseas. The goal of this initiative is to eliminate the necessity for individuals to leave their countries in the first place.
At the summit of the European Political Community (EPC) that took place at Blenheim Palace the previous week, he confirmed a “deepening” of cooperation with European partners. This includes increasing the presence of the United Kingdom at Europol, agreeing to new arrangements with Slovenia and Slovakia regarding the fight against organized crime, and making a commitment to share more intelligence “to put the gangs out of business.”