Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the planned staff to resident ratio is for the Biddy Stockholm barge in Portland Port (a) in the day and (b) at night; and what assessment she has made of the capacity of local (i) police and (ii) other emergency services to provide relevant support to staff and residents at that site.

The vessel will be managed by an experienced accommodation supplier, under contractual terms agreed with the Home Office. The same supplier has safely and successfully managed two vessels for Ukrainian refugees for the Scottish Government over the past year.

Whilst we do not comment on exact staffing ratios, the Home Office will ensure sufficient staffing is on site for the orderly running of the vessel as asylum accommodation.

Sufficient staffing is on site so the vessel is run as asylum accommodation in an orderly way with minimal impact on the local community.