Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what detailed (a) health and (b) security checks and screening processes will be in place before persons are located to the Wethersfield site.

Those arriving in small boats are first taken to facilities in Dover where searches and medical checks are undertaken.

Full border security checks are later completed at Manston before anyone leaves the site. We capture biometric data which is checked and compared against relevant Home Office systems and police databases, including international databases, so we can establish whether the person is a threat to public safety. If they fail, nobody proceeds further.

At Manston, all asylum seekers are offered diphtheria vaccines and antibiotics upon arrival. The Home Office provides 24/7 health facilities at Manston, including trained medical staff and a doctor for all those on site. All asylum seekers undergo a health check upon arrival and, if needed, people are taken to hospital for further care.

A specialist and experienced security provider will be working on site 24/7, with provisions such as mobile CCTV units. We have worked closely with local police forces and MoD teams to ensure appropriate security arrangements are in place.

The Home Office has committed substantial funding to help minimise the impact on local communities and services. This includes 24/7 security, on-site catering, basic healthcare and transport provision for those accommodated on site. The government currently provides £3,500 to local authorities for new and occupied dispersal beds. This £3,500 funding for local authorities will be extended to the sites at Wethersfield. The safety and security of the local communities, the staff and those accommodated on the site are of the utmost importance.