MP slams ‘desperate’ plight of asylum seekers at centre

A Yorkshire MP has hit out at the Home Secretary over the ‘desperate situation’ at Napier Barracks, which is used by the Home Office as home for asylum seekers.

Holly Lynch, MP for Halifax and Shadow Immigration Minister, wrote to Priti Patel raising concerns surrounding a Covid-19 outbreak at the Kent barracks.

Ms Lynch claims the Home Secretary’s statement to the Home Affairs Select Committee about the outbreak was contradictory to the findings in an NHS report.

The report, by Kent and Midway Clinical Commissioning Group in January, revealed high Covid-19 rates and lack of infection prevention measures at the barracks.

It found that 137 out of the 381 residents tested positive for the virus and the layout of the ‘open style’ dormitories increased the risk of infection. It also reported that there were too many asylum seekers per block to allow social distancing and prevent the spread of the disease.

The barracks house a number of asylum seekers with health conditions that make them clinically vulnerable, including tuberculosis and leukaemia.

Ms Lynch wrote to the Home Secretary after the report disproved some of Ms Patel’s statement to the Home Affairs Select Committee on February 24. At the Committee hearing, Ms Patel said: “Advice around dormitories and the use of the accommodation was all based on Public Health England advice.

“It is all based around social distancing. That is the point, it is all based around social distancing and Covid-compliant measures – it is really important to emphasise that.”

However, Ms Lynch highlighted findings in the report that said: “There are too many people inside the block to allow adequate social distancing and to prevent the risk of spread of infection.”

Ms Lynch also pointed to a statement made by Matthew Rycroft, Permanent Secretary to the Home Office, about arrangements in the barracks after the outbreak.

Mr Rycroft told the committee that all those who tested negative were moved so that those with a positive test had more space to socially distance.

However, Ms Lynch again referred to the report, which said the recreation dormitory was altered into a sleeping room to group the first group of residents who tested positive.

“But the numbers have now far exceeded the available capacity,” said the report.