Source · Select Committees · Home Affairs Committee
Recommendation 32
32
Deferred
Explain measures improving communication on migrant capacity and agree minimum notice periods.
Recommendation
The Government must also explain what measures have been put in place to improve communication between Border Force and short-term holding facilities about their capacity to receive migrants. The Home Office should agree minimum notice periods for different numbers of arrivals at holding centres. (Paragraph 141) 48 Channel crossings, migration and asylum
Government Response Summary
The government describes a transformed two-site operational model and increased staffing at facilities, but does not explicitly explain specific measures to improve communication between Border Force and holding facilities about capacity, or commit to agreeing minimum notice periods.
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
The Government takes its responsibility to provide a safe and secure environment for those arriving via small boats very seriously. Over the last 12 months the Home Office has transformed arrangements to control those arriving by small boat. We have moved to a two-site model which sees humanitarian needs prioritised at Western Jetfoil ahead of initial immigration and asylum processing at Manston. That two-site model has also seen our processes and procedures reviewed and refreshed so that all the required security and identity checks and biometric registration, as well as initial vulnerability and welfare assessments, are carried out sequentially and consistently, and with appropriate assurance mechanisms, ahead of arriving migrants being placed into asylum accommodation or detention if the individual’s circumstances mean there is a realistic prospect of imminent removal or if they are to be prosecuted for relevant offences. We have increased staffing across Western Jet Foil and Manston by 86% in the last 3 months. By the end of the year we aim to have almost tripled staff numbers