2 years ago
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Image source, PA Media
MPs from the Home Affairs Committee visited the Manston tract connected Tuesday
By Thomas Mackintosh
BBC News, London
Overcrowding astatine a migrant centre successful Kent has eased successful caller days, but the "crisis is not over", the caput of the Home Affairs Committee of MPs has said.
Dame Diana Johnson says the Manston migration processing tract is backmost to a harmless occupancy level of 1,600 people.
It had reached highs of 4,000 past week - much than treble its capacity.
But Labour's Dame Diana said questions stay implicit "the legality of the location secretary's determination to detain radical astatine the tract for longer than 24 hours".
The authorities said Suella Braverman has taken "urgent decisions" to alleviate issues astatine Manston by sourcing alternate accommodation.
Migrants are meant to beryllium held determination for abbreviated periods of clip portion undergoing information and individuality checks.
They are past expected to beryllium moved into the Home Office's asylum accommodation system. But immoderate radical person been held for longer periods of clip due to the fact that of an evident deficiency of alternate accommodation - and concerns person been raised implicit conditions.
On Tuesday the Home Affairs Committee - made up of MPs from respective parties - visited Manston and praised unit for making "valiant efforts" astatine trying to amended conditions for detainees.
But, Dame Diana warned "the situation is not over".
"We encountered families who had been sleeping connected mats connected the level for weeks," she added.
"The Home Office has been moving to support up with this escalating crisis, alternatively than warding it disconnected astatine the outset done readying and preparation."
Last Wednesday, 1 migrant told the BBC that conditions astatine Manston were similar surviving successful a zoo.
He described being forced to slumber connected the floor, and being prevented from going to the toilet, taking a ablution oregon going extracurricular for exercise.
Dame Diana called connected the location caput to deal with a backlog successful the asylum system successful bid to support numbers down.
A Home Office spokesperson earlier insisted Manston remains resourced and equipped to process radical securely portion alternate accommodation is found.
They added: "We instrumentality the information and payment of those successful our attraction highly earnestly and each basal needs are provided for including blistery food, caller clothing, sanitary packs, and aesculapian attraction wherever needed."
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