The Home Office is forcing some contractors to book hotels of “at least a minimum of three stars” to house small-boat migrants after costs soared to £8 million a day. The Telegraph has the story.
Suella Braverman, the Home Secretary, said she is “very concerned about hotels” and called their use “unacceptable”, telling Parliament this week: “It is totally unacceptable that too many towns and cities around the country now house the 45,000 asylum seekers who are in hotels… it is not right that the British taxpayer is forking out the cost.”
The most recent contract issued by Ms. Braverman’s department, seen by the Telegraph, lists “mandatory requirements” for all hotels booked, stating: “The location of the accommodation will be carried out at locations close to amenities and transport networks. Contracted venues should be at least a minimum of three stars.”
The Home Office has not disclosed how many hotels have been booked under the contract, which began in February, and said it was also using a separate agreement that had no star requirement.
Ms. Braverman has not disclosed the specifications during numerous debates on the issue in the House of Commons, where MPs have challenged the use of hotels in towns and seaside resorts.
Conservative grandee Sir John Hayes said small-boat migrants should “expect a much more basic level of provision” than three-, four- or five-star hotels.
“My constituents wouldn’t expect any illegal immigrant to be housed in a place they couldn’t afford to stay in themselves,” he added.
“We need to provide safe and clean accommodation but it should be basic – three-star is well above the level taxpayers would expect to be funding. In truth, we’ve got to move these people out of hotels altogether.”
Get a grip, guys. They’re running rings round you.
Worth reading in full.
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