Plans to move 2,000 migrants into RAF Scampton ‘delayed until October’

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Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

Plans to move 2,000 migrants into RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire have been delayed until October, according to reports.

The Home Office had indicated the first group of migrants would begin arriving at the former airbase in August.

However, the BBC reported that following a meeting with Government officials, Scampton Parish Council was told the start date would now be delayed until October.

The reasons given are delays in conducting surveys on the 14 buildings designated for migrant accommodation and difficulties in finding qualified personnel to oversee utility connections.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “Delivering accommodation on surplus military sites will end the use of expensive hotels to house those arriving in small boats. We continue to work closely with local authorities to address the local communities’ concerns.

“We are working hard to deliver these sites as quickly as possible.”

It comes after West Lindsey District Council recently won the right to a judicial review, which would determine whether the Government’s plans for RAF Scampton are lawful.

The review is expected in the next few months, meaning it is likely to be concluded before the first migrants are due to arrive.

The delay coincides with reports that despite safety concerns, the Home Office expects to send an initial group of 50 people to the UK’s first floating barge for asylum seekers on Tuesday.

The facility, known as the Bibby Stockholm barge, is in Portland, Dorset, and will eventually host about 500 men at a time.

Some residents have raised concerns for their safety on an island with a population of about 13,000 and said that it does not have the infrastructure to provide for the newcomers and those already there.

The Home Secretary is also working on contingency plans to set up tents as temporary accommodation for asylum seekers to deal with an expected surge of Channel boat crossings.

According to a Whitehall source, the Home Secretary recently purchased marquees to accommodate the migrants, to have them in place by the end of August.

The Times, which first reported the tent purchases, cited Government sources saying a similar proposal was rejected last year because of warnings it would trigger legal challenges based on inhumane treatment of asylum seekers.