Home Office Backs RAF Scampton Asylum Seeker Housing in High Court Battle
The Home Office has justified its decision to accommodate migrants at RAF Scampton in High Court. The decision has come under judicial scrutiny due to challenges, asserting the plans of housing up to 2,000 migrants at the historic former base of the Dambusters violated legal protocols.
Counter arguments presented in Court
Representatives of the government confronted the allegations before Mrs Justice Thornton at London’s Royal Courts of Justice on Wednesday. Similar claims from Braintree District Council and Wethersfield resident Gabriel Clarke-Holland were also addressed. They contend that the proposal to quarter up to 1,700 asylum seekers at MDP Wethersfield breaches legal norms.
"The significant arrival of small boats ... constituted a clear emergency ... the government was completely within its rights to invoke Class Q emergency planning powers," staunchly defended Paul Brown KC, who was there on behalf of the Secretary of State.
Unprecedented Migrant Surge
These emergency planning powers, set to expire in April 2024, allow the government to sidestep standard planning procedures for up to one year. By the end of 2022, record numbers of asylum seekers were accommodated in the UK and receiving financial assistance. Brown stated that this number has increased by 25,000 from the previous year.
Projections suggest an additional 56,000 individuals might reach the UK shores by the end of this year. On commenting this, Brown KC stated, “Nobody has a crystal ball,” indicating the uncertain and pressing nature of the situation.
Cost Concerns and Environmental Impact
As of end of March, the Home Office had been sheltering 48,000 individuals at roughly 380 hotels nationwide, costing taxpayers £6.2 million daily. It was argued that housing seekers in Scampton and Wethersfield could potentially reduce costs.
Pertinent claims about the project’s Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) were raised by the opposing claimants. They pointed to inconsistencies in documents suggesting that the Home Office intended to use the site for a minimum of two years, and possibly up to five years.
Brief Insights into Government's Future Plans
Brown KC contended that the project was initially planned to last for just a year, and the duration is “yet to be determined,” given the volatile nature of the situation. Revealing a letter sent to Gainsborough MP Sir Edward Leigh on October 27, he spoke about the Home Secretary’s approach but also emphasized that no final decision had been made regarding the future of the site.