Ottaway challenges Home Office Minister on asylum claims
Richard Ottaway, Conservative MP for Croydon South, has challenged the Home Office on the decision to make Lunar House in Croydon the only place in the UK for ‘walk in’ asylum applications.
At Home Office questions on Monday 27th October he asked the Immigration Minister:
• The reason for the decision
• The impact on Croydon and
• If there would be compensation to Croydon Council for the extra burden on services.
The Minister denied there was a problem, saying the number of applications is falling, that the Liverpool centre is still interviewing and that the burden on Croydon will be minimal.
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmhansrd/cm091026/debtext/91026-0002.htm#column_12
Richard said:
“The answer is evasive to say the least. The Liverpool plan is an interim measure which ends in March. There has been no drop off of applicants in Croydon and the Council anticipates a 10% increase in applications. This will impose an extra cost on services which will fall on the Croydon Council tax payers.
“We want straight answers from the government and I am writing to the Minister to ask him to reflect on his answer."
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