Asylum seekers to be placed in 'isolated' village

An MP has told the Commons that the expected arrival of 121 asylum seekers in a "small, isolated rural community" in his constituency would mean a 35% increase in its population.

Mark Pritchard, the Conservative MP for The Wrekin, said during Prime Minister's Questions he had been informed they would be moved to Stoke Heath in phases from next week.

Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy responded that "we have to be honest about what the British public expect us to do" in reducing migration and removing failed asylum seekers, and MPs should avoid saying "not on my patch".

The BBC asked for comment from the Home Office, whose spokesperson pointed to the minister's response.

Lammy said he was not aware of the particular circumstances of Stoke Heath, but that the immigration minister would look at it, and that it came against the background of a sharp fall in net migration.

Shropshire Council said it had written to the government highlighting its concerns over the specific location chosen.

In a Facebook post, Pritchard said: "It is unacceptable that Labour Home Office ministers have not consulted with Stoke Heath residents or the local parish council about these ill-conceived plans.

"As the local Member of Parliament, I was only given a few hours' notice of their arrival."

He said the settlement was "a rural village with limited access to services", and that the nearest bus stop was a 30-minute walk away.

The MP called on the local authority to apply for a judicial review of the decision to place asylum seekers "in this entirely unsuitable location".

In a statement, Shropshire Council's leader Heather Kidd said, while councils were notified of government decisions to place people in their area, "decisions about where individuals are accommodated are made by the Home Office".

She added that the government department was also responsible "for ensuring that appropriate support is available to individuals wherever they are placed"

"Shropshire Council will continue to advocate for suitable support and appropriate placement locations for anyone accommodated in Shropshire," she said.

"As a council, we will fulfill our statutory duties, working closely with our partners. This includes, where relevant, supporting access to education and providing statutory adult and children's social care services.

"We have written to the Home Office to raise our strong concerns about this location and are awaiting a response before considering any further action."

Local councillor Donna Edmunds said she would be contacting outsourcing firm Serco and the Home Office to try to get more information, adding it was wrong to place large numbers of people in a close-knit neighbourhood without any consultation.

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