• The Conservative Government has started the process of returning hotels temporarily accommodating asylum seekers to their normal use by the community, boosting the local economy.
• The Government has always been clear the use of hotels was only ever a short-term measure to accommodate asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute during a period of unprecedented numbers of small boat arrivals.
• Through the progress the Government has made to stop the boats – with crossings down by more than a quarter compared to last year despite huge increases into Europe – the first phase of nation-wide hotel exits can now begin, with Boston & Skegness constituency at the forefront of this action plan.
Matt Warman MP has welcomed the news from the Conservative Government that two hotels in Skegness will be returned to the community with the announcement that temporary accommodation at these facilities will be closed.
The use of hotels was a short-term measure to accommodate asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute during a period of unprecedented numbers of small boat arrivals.
The Conservative Government has successfully reduced crossings due to the Prime Minister’s 10-Point Plan to tackle illegal immigration. This includes the returns agreement with Albania which has seen a more than 90 per cent reduction in illegal Albanian arrivals on small boats. As well as a 50 per cent increase in enforcement visits and passing the Illegal Migration Act – the toughest piece of immigration legislation in recent history. This Act renders the asylum claims of people who come
here directly from safe countries inadmissible and establishes safe and legal routes as the only lawful means by which to come to the UK.
The Conservative Government have also brought forward more appropriate forms of asylum accommodation in the form of large disused military sites and barges which are less costly to the taxpayer and can be better managed by communities, removing the burden on local authorities to house these migrants.
This means that some of the temporary asylum accommodation in Boston & Skegness can close, and these hotels will return to the community.
Stopping the boats is a top priority for the Conservative Government, as it works to deliver on all five of its priorities to: halve inflation, grow the economy, reduce debt, cut waiting lists and stop the boats.
Commenting, Matt Warman MP said:
“I am pleased that Government colleagues have recognised that it is wholly inappropriate to use tourist hotels in Skegness to accommodate people seeking asylum.
I have been clear throughout on my three ‘asks’ of Government – deter people from making journeys across the channel in the first place, process people more quickly and look at alternative forms of accommodation to the inappropriate use of hotels needed for tourism.
It is brilliant news from the Conservative Government that 50 hotels across the country will be returned to communities as the temporary asylum accommodation is closed down. People across Boston & Skegness will be pleased to hear that this can happen thanks to the progress the Conservative Government has made to stop the boats.”
Commenting, Immigration Minister, Robert Jenrick, said:
“Taxpayers cannot be expected to foot the eye-watering bill for the use of hotels to accommodate individuals making illegal, dangerous and wholly unnecessary small boat crossings.
“Our strategy to stop the boats is making progress. With small boat arrivals down more than 20 per cent compared with last year, we can now start to restore these hotels to their rightful use for local communities.
“We remain absolutely determined, through the implementation of the Illegal Migration Act and our Rwanda Partnership, to dismantle the smuggling gangs’ business models and stop the boats entirely.”