Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she plans to take to refurbish the asylum accommodation vessel she plans to use in Portland Port; what facilities she plans to provide on that vessel; and what provisions she plans to make for (a) water, (b) sewage, (c) electricity, (d) gas, (e) rubbish collection and (f) mobile phone and wifi connectivity on that vessel.

The vessel to be berthed in Portland Port will undergo statutory inspection along with any necessary refurbishment and general maintenance, in a UK port, ahead of its berthing in Portland.

It will be managed by a specialist and experienced provider, which has a strong track record of providing this kind of accommodation, having managed the two vessels in Scottish ports for the past year, and successfully with local authorities and other public organisations in Scotland.

Using Portland Port’s existing infrastructure to service vessels, appropriate utilities will be provided to support the accommodation barge, including water, power, and WiFi connectivity.

Portland Port has a Waste Management Plan that ensures that all ships using the Harbour dispose of all waste in an efficient and environmentally correct manner.

We will continue to work closely with the councils, communities, and key local partners to manage any impact in Dorset.