Ministers were accused of ‘cowardice’ last night after plans emerged to conceal the number of migrants arriving each day.
Currently, the Home Office issues data once arrivals are processed by the UK Border Force. This is usually on the next day. However, this may stop when the Ministry of Defence takes over operations to intercept and deport migrants.
A running total instead will only be released four times per year.
This comes as a result of concerns raised by the Statistics Watchdog about daily totals being issued by Government.
The Home Office is now set to release the figures every three months, but the move has drawn criticism from Tory MPs – with one saying it ‘seems more like burying bad news than being transparent about crossings.
An anonymous Conservative stated that it looked like a cover-up. Journalists will no doubt come up with their figures from people who have arrived at Tughaven. [the migrant processing centre in Dover]Freedom of Information and Privacy of Information Requests
Alp Mehmet, chairman of Migration Watch UK which campaigns for tougher border controls, added: ‘This is a cowardly act. This just proves that the government is scared.
‘I’m very surprised at Priti Patel, and the British people deserve better from her.
‘It would be a failure of responsibility if they stop issuing daily data. It’s an appalling idea and the sooner the Government ditch it, the better.
‘Do they really think they can hide the figures from the electorate when all this takes place in the open on our beaches and at our ports?’ He added: ‘This proposal reminds me of little children holding their hands in front of their faces and saying “I’m not here”. It’s totally crazy.
‘The Home Office can’t simply pretend this problem is not happening, and hope it will go away.’
Nigel Farage, former UKIP leader and MEP also called the proposal ‘disgraceful’. He said it “mustn’t be allowed to happen” because people are merely’seething”.
Tweeted he said: “This disgrace.” We don’t want to hear the truth from The Home Office.
Priti Patel was accused of “burying bad information” Government plans to end publication of daily Channel migration figures
In November 2013, a group of migrants were brought to Dungeness (Kent) by a group believed to have been immigrants.
According to government figures, there have been more migrants arriving in Britain in January than any other month. UK authorities have intercepted more than 950 migrants so far this year – more than three times the 223 in January 2021. The Channel intercepted 28381 individuals last year, while only 8,410 were in 2020.
Officials from the Border Force bring migrants onto Dover Harbour, after they arrive in Speedwell (January 19).
Last year saw more than 28,300 migrants reach the UK in dinghies and small boats – three times the total for 2020.
Internal Home Office documents show officials are planning for a ‘worst case scenario’ of up to 65,000 arrivals this year.
Dover’s Conservative MP Natalie Elphicke said: ‘We need to continue with daily updates.
‘To start reporting them on any other basis I don’t think will be acceptable, particularly for such an important and immediate issue.
‘Not having accurate daily figures risks misinformation being spread about the number of arrivals, and that would be highly damaging to the attempts to try to solve this long-standing crisis.’
Philip Hollobone, another Tory backbencher who is MP for Kettering, said: ‘Any attempt to hide the scale of the problem will raise alarm bells among everyone who is concerned about this.
We demand maximum transparency. The public would like to have the figures for daily arrivals.
‘Until the daily figure goes down to zero, they will not be satisfied.
‘Trying to cover up the scale of the problem is helping no-one but the Government.’
Hollobone stated that he will raise concerns with the Home Office.
‘Its strategy to stop people trafficking across the Channel isn’t working. Until we can take people back to France the numbers will keep on going up,’ he added.
Another Tory backbencher warned that this move might be detrimental to Nigel Farage’s political career as honorary president, Reform UK.
Farage is also a presenter on GB News. A series of social media posts have been made about Channel Crisis, many times filmed from a Dover Strait-based boat.
‘If our ministers aren’t giving the facts to the public, I’m sure that’s an area Nigel Farage would attempt to step in.
‘I think it would potentially be very damaging to the Conservative party,’ one Tory MP said.
An Office for Statistics Regulation spokesman said: ‘We understand that migrant English Channel crossings are currently an area of strong public interest and we also understand that the department is of the view that a quarterly publication will ensure the statistics are put into the longer-term and wider immigration and asylum context and so better support the public debate and understanding.
‘We have urged the department to take account of user need for a more frequent publication, which would include information on the strengths and limitations of these statistics and how this impacts use.’
This follows revelations by the Army that it will begin building camps for up to 30,000 Channel migrants starting next month.
Plans for temporary housing are being developed by soldiers on Ministry of Defence land throughout the UK.
This project could cost many millions. Privately, Priti Patel, Home Secretary to the Tory Party MPs has said that work on Phase 1 is expected to begin within weeks.
According to sources, the government believes the plan will be more affordable than existing accommodation for migrants. This scheme has already seen many people placed in four-star hotels and full board.
Ministers are hopeful that temporary accommodation in hostel-style style on military bases will deter migrants looking to cross the Channel.
A Whitehall insider stated that accommodation would be built at several bases across the country as part of the new network.
“We feel it will deter criminals.” Once the project has been completed, individuals will be accommodated in pre-fabricated buildings that are temporary and not in hotel rooms.
The exact location of the new secure facility for Channel migrants processing has not yet been revealed, however, it was established at a MoD site in Manston, Kent, and opened within the past few days.
Although initially it will house illegal immigrants within the UK for five days, now its purpose is to expand to include long-term accommodation.
The Government also hired planning consultants for applications to the Napier barracks at Folkestone.
The site has accommodated 350 asylum seekers as of September 2020. Ministers have plans to continue to use the site until 2025. According to sources, Napier will have an increased capacity under the new project.
Napier’s criticism of billing migrants to MoD sites has made it controversial.
Last month, an all-party parliamentary panel described the base in a report. It compared it with ‘quasidetention’ and said that there were ‘appalling conditions’.
According to a Government source, the MoD would be responsible for housing migrants arriving in their country. It is possible that this will require the construction of additional barracks and other similar spaces to Napier.
We want to lower the number of asylum seekers staying in hotels.
This comes as a result of reports that the Home Office has prepared for the worst case scenario, which could see up to 65,000 people arrive across the Channel in the year ahead.
Last year, nearly 28,000. More than 8,410 migrants arrived in Britain. More than 940 have been intercepted by UK authorities so far this month – more than four times the figure in January last year.
It does not include arrivals yesterday – which are thought to number around 25.