Welsh Lib Dems welcome hopeful news that asylum seekers will start to move out of Penally Camp

Welsh Liberal Democrats have welcomed the statement by the Home Office that they are intending to move all of the asylum seekers at Penally Camp into “suitable dispersed accommodation as soon as reasonably practical” and that they were hoping to start moves (albeit for small numbers of people) from 18 January. This statement was made by Home Office Minister, Chris Philp MP, in an answer to a Parliamentary Question from Liberal Democrat MP, Wendy Chamberlain. Whilst the Welsh Liberal Democrats welcome this emerging information, we need to see evidence that people are moving out.

Alistair Cameron, Welsh Liberal Democrat Senedd Candidate for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire said:

“The Asylum Seekers are staying in the middle of Winter in army barracks which are unsuitable as long term accommodation. They are sleeping 6 to a room and run the risk of being infected with coronavirus. Many will have fled areas of conflict and they will have been deeply traumatized by their experiences. As a caring country, we should provide safe, warm and clean accommodation just as we would expect if we were in similar circumstances.

“I now urge the Home Office to move all of the asylum seekers out of the Camp as quickly as possible and to process their claims for asylum.”

Wendy Chamberlain MP has asked the Home Secretary further questions, including about the arrangements for the asylum seekers to receive mental health support as well as what action has been taken to speed up the processing of asylum seekers. According to the Refugee Council, at the end of September 2020, 60,548 people were waiting for an outcome on their initial claim for asylum. Of these, 46,108 (76%) have been waiting for more than 6 months, up from 26,125 this time last year.

Question for Home Office from Wendy Chamberlain MP, tabled on 12 January 2021

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 11 January 2021 to Question 130841, what progress she has made on timescales for the relocation of asylum seekers at the Penally Camp; and what assessment she has made of the safety of that camp.

Answered on 18 January by Chris Philp MP

The current global pandemic has presented us with significant challenges when it comes to the provision of asylum accommodation, including sourcing sufficient suitable accommodation to meet demand.

The use of hotels and wider government facilities are a short-term measure and we are working to move people to longer-term dispersal accommodation as soon as it becomes available.

Following a review of available government property, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) agreed to temporarily hand over two of their sites: the Penally Training Camp in Pembrokeshire and the Napier Barracks in Kent. These sites were immediately available to be used to house asylum seekers and are safe, secure, habitable, fit for purpose and correctly equipped in line with existing contractual requirements for asylum accommodation.

The Home Office have undertaken a number of assessments at the Penally Camp; Equality Impact, Fire, Evacuation controls / plans and infection controls including for Covid 19. A rapid review of asylum accommodation was undertaken with the assistance of Human Applications who conducted a ‘deep dive’ on our approach to initial accommodation during the coronavirus pandemic. We continue to work closely with the Welsh Health leads and if necessary, conduct an internal evaluation of asylum support provision in Penally with any recommendations being actioned accordingly.

It remains our intention to move all individuals in contingency accommodation into suitable dispersed accommodation as soon as reasonably practical, we are hoping to commence moves for small numbers of people out from week commencing 18th January, however our immediate priority is to ensure that we continue to meet out legal duty to house destitute asylum seekers and ensure their safety and wellbeing.