Bibby Stockholm: Migrants changing minds over move to barge - Robert Jenrick

A "significant" fig of asylum seekers who had refused to committee the Bibby Stockholm person present changed their minds astir moving to the barge, the migration curate has told the BBC.

"A important fig moved yesterday, I fishy much volition determination successful the coming days," Robert Jenrick said.

Asylum seekers already connected the vas person been describing the conditions.

One told the BBC it was similar a situation without the country to accommodate up to 500 people, arsenic the authorities plans.

Mr Jenrick said the numbers aboard the vas - moored astatine Portland Port successful Dorset - would summation "in the coming days" from the archetypal radical of astir 20, but nary day had been acceptable for reaching afloat capacity.

"We person written to those individuals who person truthful acold declined to question and, arsenic I recognize it, a important proportionality of them person already changed their minds and agreed to move," helium said.

Mr Jenrick said determination was "not a paper of options" for those seeking state-funded help.

"We've got to beryllium just to the taxation payers arsenic good arsenic decent and compassionate to the individuals concerns.

"If you take to crook down perfectly acceptable accommodation specified arsenic the barge, we springiness those radical owed announcement and if they don't alteration their mind, we bash retreat their accommodation support."

He said those affected would person to "look aft themselves".

Bibby Stockholm is the flagship of the government's latest program to "stop the boats" and deter unsafe Channel crossings by migrants. Men aged 18-65 volition unrecorded connected the vas portion they await the result of asylum applications.

The Care4Calais foundation said connected Monday it was providing ineligible enactment to a 20 asylum seekers who had refused to determination to Portland and were challenging the decision.

"Housing radical fleeing threats and persecution connected an overcrowded barge is appalling, and successful itself apt to origin utmost distress," it said.

An Afghan asylum seeker aboard the barge, whom the BBC is not identifying, said: "The dependable of locks and information checks gives maine the feeling of entering Alcatraz prison.

"My roommate panicked successful the mediate of the nighttime and felt similar helium was drowning. There are radical among america who person been fixed dense drugs for slump by the doc here."

He said helium had been fixed a tiny room, and the eating hallway had capableness for less than 150 people.

"Like a prison, it [the barge] has entranceway and exit gates, and astatine immoderate circumstantial hours, we person to instrumentality a bus, and aft driving a agelong distance, we spell to a spot wherever we tin walk. We consciousness precise bad," the antheral added.

The 222-room, three-storey barge arrived successful Portland Port much than 3 weeks ago, chartered by the authorities to trim what it says is the £6m-a-day outgo of placing asylum seekers successful hotels.

Ministers accidental it is safe, contempt information warnings from the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) which has raised concerns implicit constrictive exits and imaginable overcrowding.

It includes catering, a TV room, a multi-faith supplication country and a gym.

Migrants volition beryllium escaped to permission connected hourly buses to Weymouth and Portland, though they are encouraged to instrumentality by 23:00 each night.

The Home Office has said the barge occupants volition acquisition information screening and Dorset Police has said it does not expect immoderate interaction connected the section community.