Migrant centres at risk of being overwhelmed with another 85,000 small boat arrivals predicted this year
MIGRANT centres are at huge risk of being overwhelmed — with a further 85,000 small boat arrivals predicted by the end of the year.
The warning comes in a damning report which says that already at busy times migrants’ bags are not even checked properly.
Ministers were slammed last year as the Kent processing centres at Manston and Western Jet Foil became rammed.
Arrivals are only supposed to remain there for short periods, but some were sleeping on floors for days.
David Neal, Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration, said improvements were made but “serious risks remain”.
A shortage of longer-term accommodation could see bottlenecks building again.
And just one in three were screened properly before moving on — leaving “security risks not being detected”.
His report said: “I have received no clear answer from senior officials as to where the 55,000 to 85,000 people expected to arrive in 2023-2024 will be accommodated.
“I do not think that anyone knows yet.
“This is a considerable risk.
“It is highly doubtful the facilities and processes in place at present would be sufficient to handle the large numbers expected.”
PM Rishi Sunak has pledged to stop the boats and last week hailed figures showing numbers were down a fifth since last year.
Critics blamed windy weather and since then numbers have picked up.
More than 600 arrived on Saturday alone and a total of 8,900 have made the dangerous crossing so far this year.
Meanwhile efforts to hire staff to process claims quicker are hampered by “civil service inefficiency” and labour market shortages, Mr Neal found.
The Home Office agreed to take on a number of recommendations.
But Labour’s Yvette Cooper said: “All we get from Rishi Sunak is more empty promises.”