The living conditions of asylum seekers on the Bibby Stockholm barge are causing growing desperation, as the Home Office has acknowledged that the vessel has already cost taxpayers over £22m.
Asylum seekers reported that conditions have worsened since up to 300 individuals were relocated onto the barge, following the suicide of an unknown resident on Tuesday.
The government revealed that the expenses for the “vessel accommodation services” connected to the barge in Portland, Dorset totaled £22,450,772.
If the barge accommodates approximately 500 individuals and is utilized for a period of 18 months, the cost per resident per day would be £91.
Refugees spoke to the Guardian about their worries regarding the safety measures on board, which include going through airport-like security and physical searches just to go outside for a cigarette, a decline in the overall food quality, and limited supplies for those at the back of the line.
According to a refugee, the boat feels like a jail and there are increasingly more problems occurring.
The asylum seekers first mourned for a man who is actually alive, as one organization mistakenly publicized the name and photo of the wrong person as the deceased individual.
Another refugee expressed concern over the deteriorating conditions, stating, “We are afraid they will release the boat and take us to Rwanda.”
According to sources from the Home Office, they are currently unable to reveal the identity of the deceased individual due to certain “protocols” that must be adhered to. Asylum seekers residing on the barge have expressed frustration over the lack of clear communication from the Home Office, leading to speculation and uncertainty.
An asylum seeker expressed their distress over receiving incorrect information about a man who committed suicide. They are calling on the Home Office to disclose the correct identity of the individual. The asylum seeker also mentioned feeling upset and criticized the Home Office for trying to deceive them.
At first, the asylum seekers claimed they were only informed about an “unfortunate event” following the death of the man.
One individual seeking asylum expressed fear, largely attributed to the secretive management of the barge and their attempts to come up with a believable explanation for the situation to both the asylum seekers and the public.
The refugees on the boat kept up with the updates on the vote for the new legislation in Rwanda on Tuesday evening.
Some individuals are becoming increasingly exposed to negative information. They are concerned about the possibility of being sent to Rwanda and are experiencing strong feelings of sadness. Many are shedding tears and likening their situation to being imprisoned.
Matthew Rycroft, the permanent secretary of the Home Office, sent a letter to Diana Johnson, chair of the home affairs select committee, detailing the cost of the barge.
During a committee meeting, she expressed her surprise that a cost-benefit analysis was not conducted when the contract was awarded to the immigration ministers.
The new minister responsible for legal migration, Tom Pursglove, informed her that the system was being “revised” and stated, “This is definitely a more efficient way to offer housing.”
The government is compensating Dorset council £3,500 per occupied bed on Bibby Stockholm, in addition to the payment for accommodation services. The vessel has a capacity of 504 individuals.
According to Rycroft’s correspondence, only 1,182 individuals who arrived in the UK via small boats since 2020 have been repatriated, out of a total of 111,800 arrivals during that period.
The majority of the returns were from Albania, a nation that the UK has an agreement with. Only 420 individuals were returned to other countries in a span of three years.
In the meeting, it was revealed that 132 unaccompanied minors who had gone missing from Home Office housing are yet to be found. This number was previously 154 earlier this year.
There are concerns that ministers have not allocated sufficient resources to locate children who have been trafficked from hotels.
Alison Thewliss, an SNP MP, confronted Pursglove stating that his efforts have been inadequate as 132 out of 154 items are still missing. She also accused him of not caring about the issue.
Pursglove expressed that the suggestion was quite extreme.
The committee was informed that out of the individuals who were reported missing, 103 have now reached adulthood and 29 are still minors.
Source: theguardian.com
