The Minister of State for Immigration, The Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP, confirmed in the House of Commons today that the North Stafford Hotel will no longer be used to house asylum seekers. This is part of the Government’s plans to start terminating hotel contacts which are costing the taxpayer £8m a day to house illegal migrants.
In Stoke-on-Trent, there are over 1,200 illegal immigrants, and Jack Brereton MP has voiced his concerns over local services being stretched and unable to cope.
With over 45,000 people crossing the channel illegally last year, and Home Office forecasts suggesting that the number of people this year could be as high as 80,000, Jack has been putting pressure on the Government to ensure that the right steps are being taken to deter those seeking to cross the channel and reduce pressure on areas like Stoke-on-Trent.
The North Stafford Hotel is sited in front of Stoke-on-Trent's main railway station, the gateway to the city. Also, being located in front of the Good Yards Levelling Up project, Jack has raised concerns that this is not an appropriate location to house asylum seekers. Jack has also called on other local authorities across the United Kingdom to step up their efforts in housing their share of asylum seekers.
This year, Jack voted to support the Government in delivering the Illegal Migration Act – the toughest immigration legislation in decades – which is designed to break up the business model of the people smuggling gangs and stop those making the dangerous crossing across the Channel.
Commenting on today's announcement, Jack Brereton MP said:
“I am very pleased to hear that asylum seekers will no longer need to be housed in the North Stafford Hotel following the actions taken by the Government to stop the boats and tackle illegal migration.
For too long, Stoke-on-Trent has done more than its fair share in housing asylum seekers and refugees, as a result, we have seen local services pushed to their limit. This situation was not acceptable and my residents have rightfully raised concerns about the negative impact it has had on our city. Stoke-on-Trent is a welcoming city that proudly stands ready to help those in need, but the good nature of our city must not be taken for granted.
I will continue to work with colleagues in Stoke-on-Trent and in Westminster to ensure that dispersal of asylum seekers is done fairly and that we continue to take further robust action to remove those who have no right to be here.”
