Norwich North MP Chloe Smith awaiting answers over use of hotel for migrants

A Conservative MP has said she is awaiting answers about a hotel in a city being used to house migrants.

The Home Office has been using a building in Norwich as temporary accommodation for the past few weeks.

Norwich North MP, Chloe Smith, said she had written to the Home Office with concerns about public services and the effect on the local economy.

The Home Office said there were "unprecedented pressures on the asylum system".

Ms Smith said she asked the questions at the start of September when it first emerged a city hotel had a block booking for an indefinite period to house migrants.

She said she had raised concerns on behalf of her constituents as some were already worried about being able to get doctors appointments or a dentist appointment.

"I think what we would all want to see from this situation is that, first of all, asylum seekers, in their hour of need, are of course welcomed and supported, but secondly, that the understanding is there of the effect on local public services," she said.

"We want to make sure that [services] are there for everybody without being over-burdened."

She also said there was a question about the effect on the local economy.

"If you take out an entire hotel in a tourist destination like Norwich and Norfolk, I think that's quite significant," she said.

"I'm concerned not yet to have had very good answers, very clear answers.

"I'm looking for more data, I'm looking for some more explanation on all those points I mentioned."

Ms Smith added that there was "a problem with the asylum system in this country".

"There are some concerns with how we process those asylum seekers and the result of that is what we are potentially seeing in Norwich," she said.

"There is urgent change needed to protect our borders to deliver a system that works in the interests of British people, as well as asylum seekers, who of course we do have legal obligations to and who many in Norwich want to help."

The Home Office said it does not comment on operational arrangements for individual sites used for asylum accommodation but engages with local authorities as early as possible.

"The number of people arriving in the UK who seek asylum and require accommodation has reached record levels, placing unprecedented pressures on the asylum system," a spokesman said.

"The government is working with all local authorities in England, Wales and Scotland to provide more suitable accommodation for asylum seekers and to end the unacceptable use of hotels, with more than £21m in grant funding already been provided to local authorities to help them respond to challenges in their area."

Earlier this week, it emerged that a group of migrants mistakenly taken from Kent and left stranded in central London had been brought to Norwich.

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