Minister defends detention centres

The Home Office has defended the government’s plans for asylum
seeker accommodation centres in a letter to the parliamentary joint
committee on human rights.

Home Office minister Lord Filkin wrote to the joint committee to
reassure it that the human rights of asylum seekers’ children would
be protected under the government’s Nationality, Immigration and
Asylum Bill.

Filkin wrote: “There is no reason to suppose that a place in an
accommodation centre will breach the rights of the child. On the
contrary, it will fully meet their needs at that stage. Education
in an accommodation centre is not discriminatory.”

The bill is now before the House of Lords, which is due to sit
again in October after the summer recess.

The Home Office has also confirmed that it is considering
employing private companies to provide health care services to
asylum seekers in accommodation centres.

A Home Office spokesperson said health care in accommodation
centres could be provided in a similar way as those in removal
centres. “We are considering it to minimise any impact on local
communities and local services,” she said.