MP seeks answers on immigration centre (From The Oxford Times)

MP seeks answers on immigration centre

4:04pm Wednesday 9th June 2010 in

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MP Tony Baldry has called on the Government to clarify whether or not it still plans to build an immigration centre just outside Bicester.

Mr Baldry has written, demanding an answer, to Damian Green, who recently took up the post of Minister of State for Immigration.

The move comes more than a year after the Home Office was given planning permission to build Britain’s largest secure immigration removal centre, which would house up to 800 people, on surplus MoD land known as A site, between Arncott and Piddington.

In 2005 villagers successfully fought proposals by the Labour government to build an open-door asylum centre at the site.

Mr Baldry said: “In fairness to local people I think the time has come when the Home Office needs to indicate one way or another whether it intends to proceed with implementing this plan.

“As you may recall, there is considerable upset in the way in which the Home Office sought to introduce an immigration removal centre on exactly the same site a number of years ago, a decision and process that was subsequently seriously criticised by both the National Audit Office and Public Accounts Committee.

“It is not unreasonable that my constituents, having been through all that uncertainty and concern, should be told by the Home Office what the department's plans are, so far as any immigration removal centre is concerned.”

The Home Office had previously said that the centre, which would house failed asylum seekers or illegal immigrants awaiting deportation, could create 500 jobs and be open by 2012.

But, as yet, not a brick has been laid.

Rebecca Mitchell-Farmer, chairman of action group the Coalition Against Bullingdon Immigration Removal Centre, said her members had continued to fight against the planned Arncott centre and detention policy on a national level.

She added: “We welcome the fact that Tony Baldry is seeking clarification on the future of the planned centre at Bullingdon.”

A spokesman for the UK Border Agency said at this stage there was no update, but the minister would respond to Mr Baldry’s letter in due course.