Government WILL screen the 200 asylum seekers due to arrive shortly in Milton Keynes town, says MP

City MP Ben Everit has assured worried residents that the 200 asylum seekers being sent to stay in Newport will undergo screening checks before they arrive.

But he admits that it can be hard to establish the truth about them because some deliberately ditch their documents.

“When illegal migrants arrive by boat and claim asylum there's a full screening of their identity,” he said.

"This is often tricky because activist lawyers advise them to throw their documentation in the sea.”

The MP added: “There are also security checks - UK and international and then initial asylum screening. This processing is undertaken at the Western Jet Foil facility in Dover and Manston, Kent. The migrants do not leave there until this has taken place.

“Manston is now a well run facility and there are proper checks against police and international databases. There are good healthcare facilities, including a medical check and vaccination programme, which is all designed to limit impact on local services when migrants are sent onwards to accommodation.”

Concerned residents have been contacting Mr Everitt since the Citizen exclusively revealed last Thursday that the Home Office plan to house 200 single male asylum seekers at Harben House hotel in Newport Pagnell’s Tickford Street.

He said: “People have been getting in touch worried about what we know about asylum seekers arriving in Newport Pagnell. Hopefully this update will be a bit of reassurance on that.”

Feelings are still running high in the town’s close community though, mainly because residents feel they were not consulted or given any facts about the plan. Many are now demanding a public meeting be held.

One resident told the Citizen: “The imposition of 200 unchecked males living in one building in the middle of a residential area with schools nearby is a recipe for disaster.

“Without being melodramatic I would say there is a good chance that 'incidents' will happen.” if men that have no respect for our culture are allowed to roam about in our town unchecked.”

The town mayor Paul Day is also concerned. “A sudden and unexpected arrival of so many additional people is going to have an impact and we are disappointed to have been put in a position by the Home Office that we do not yet have answers for local residents that are asking us numerous questions,” he said.

“The immigration system is well beyond the powers and responsibility of a Town Council and we have had no involvement in this decision, responsibility for which sits entirely with the Westminster government.

“Local councils should not have to find out about government decisions impacting their area via the media and we believe if what has been decided is a reasonable thing, the Home Office should have had no hesitation communicating with us in advance about their plans.”

Mr Day is encouraging residents to write to Ben Everitt or directly to the Home Office,

“Unlike decisions, such as a planning application which has a process to invite comments, this decision has no such mechanism for feedback. We therefore encourage any comments/feedback to be directed to the decision makers in the Home Office, either directly and/or via our representative in parliament, the local MP,” he said.