Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the operational berth for submarines at Portland Port is currently deemed to be a strategic asset for Navy Command; and whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Defence on the potential impacts of housing asylum seekers on the barge on (a) emergency planning arrangements, (b) site security and (c) other defence matters.

The Ministry of Defence have been closely involved with our plans.