Bibby Stockholm: Barge arrivals expected in coming days - minister

Asylum seekers volition statesman arriving connected the UK's archetypal migrant barge "in the coming days", the migration curate has said.

Robert Jenrick said astir 50 men would committee the Bibby Stockholm, moored astatine Portland successful Dorset, aboriginal this week.

The archetypal tranche of arrivals were owed past week but information issues, including the proposition the vas was a "death trap", caused a delay.

The curate said helium considered the barge a "safe facility".

Mr Jenrick told Sky News: "We anticipation that the archetypal migrants volition spell connected to the vessel successful the coming days, I'm not going to springiness you an nonstop day - but precise soon.

"For information reasons we similar not to springiness the dates connected which individuals arrive.

"You won't person agelong to wait. This is an important measurement forwards."

He added that expanding the numbers connected the barge to the capableness of 500 was inactive the program contempt concerns from the Fire Brigades Union that the vas had primitively been designed to location 200 people.

The barge is seen arsenic a cardinal portion of the government's strategy to deter migrants from arriving connected UK shores successful tiny boat.

Ministers person said it would assistance chopped the £6m-a-day outgo of lodging asylum seekers successful hotels portion their claims are processed.

After an archetypal hold portion works were carried retired successful Cornwall, the Bibby Stockholm was met by absorption from immoderate residents erstwhile it arrived astatine the larboard connected 18 July implicit fears it could enactment strain connected section services.

Human rights groups person besides described the determination to location migrants connected a barge arsenic "inhumane".

Reporters were invited to look wrong the barge past month, with pictures showing a TV country with a large surface and sofas, a multi-faith supplication country and a schoolroom that tin beryllium utilized for meetings and activities.

There is simply a gym and outdoor recreational abstraction successful the 2 courtyards successful the centre of the barge.

The men volition besides person entree to the dockside, wrong a fenced disconnected area, and they volition beryllium provided with 24-hour information and healthcare provision.

The Home Office has repeatedly insisted the barge meets each information standards.