The Home Office have confirmed this week that they are terminating their contact with a Basingstoke hotel, meaning it will cease to be used as temporary asylum accommodation by the end of the year.
Maria said,
‘’The Government has started the process of returning hotels which have temporarily been accommodating asylum seekers to their normal use. This is especially important in Basingstoke, where we have long endured a shortage of hotel accommodation for businesses and families. It is for this reason that planning permission for new hotels has been granted in our town.
The use of hotels was only ever a short-term measure to accommodate asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute during a period of unprecedented numbers of small boat arrivals. It was brilliant news, therefore, that a Basingstoke hotel is in the recent group of 50 hotels across the country which will be returned to communities. The Home Office have confirmed that they have already terminated their contact with the hotel in question, which will cease to be used as temporary asylum accommodation by the end of the year.
As the government continues to target smuggling gangs, reduce illegal migration and tackle the asylum waiting list, we can expect the use of hotel accommodation to be reduced further. Once this hotel returns to its normal functions, we will have one remaining hotel being used for asylum accommodation which I hope to be closed very soon. I will continue to work with the Home Office towards this goal.''