Charity’s fears over the use of asylum camps
THE British Red Cross has said it has major concerns over the use of facilities like the controversial Penally camp in west Wales to house asylum-seekers.
It is worried about living conditions at sites like the one in Pembrokeshire, which was branded as “run-down and unsuitable” by independent inspectors.
Men living at the former barracks have previously said they felt unsafe on the site, were not listened to when concerns were raised and that they faced a range of problems in trying to get healthcare.
The Penally site was shut for good to asylum-seekers last month.
Asylum-seekers right across Britain were found to be living in unsafe, insanitary and isolated accommodation in the Red Cross’ report, entitled Far from a Home.
The hard-hitting review, released this week, revealed that mounting backlogs in dealing with asylum applications had only compounded the problems, with both the Covid-19 pandemic and failure to win enough community dispersal accommodation having a knock-on effect.
There are also fears that asylum-seekers currently being kept in reception centres will have months more to wait for their final application decisions.
Mike Adamson, chief executive at the British Red Cross, said: “We are very concerned about the living conditions asylum-seekers are facing as they wait months for their application to be processed. We have heard from people without basic items like clean clothing, staying in rooms in disrepair, or with serious medical needs ignored.
“We believe that people who have experienced some of the worst horror imaginable – fleeing war, persecution and violence – should be able to expect a safe, clean place of refuge.
“We agree with the UK Government that the asylum system needs reform. But we have major concerns about the proposal to effectively create an unfair two-tier system, which would see anyone who arrives via another country being held in a reception centre, likely behind high fences, potentially for months and months.
“Alongside providing more safe and legal routes for people to reach the UK, forthcoming reform of the system needs to see the Home Office working with local authorities, devolved governments and charities, to increase community housing for people seeking refuge here.
“The UK Government also urgently needs to address the immense backlog of cases so pressures on the system are reduced. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create a fair and effective approach to asylum, in line with British values of kindness and compassion.”
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