No plans to house asylum seekers in army barracks

The government has confirmed there are no plans to house asylum seekers at an army barracks in Shropshire.

The Clive Barracks at Tern Hill is currently home to the Royal Irish Regiment but speaking in the House of Commons on Monday, The Wrekin's Conservative MP Mark Pritchard said there had been speculation around the site being used.

It comes after a decision last week not to house up to 83 asylum seekers in new build homes in Stoke Heath, near Market Drayton.

Home Office Minister Alex Norris confirmed that the barracks was not being considered for that purpose.

He said that following the decision around Stoke Heath, misinformation had followed.

"People who were planning on creating division through asylum accommodation, are now pointing at another site," he told the Commons.

"To be clear to him [Pritchard] and his constituents, we have proposed three new sites and the extension of time for two other ones, those are decisions not finally made and those are named sites.

"Those are the sites under consideration, not his."

Plans to house asylum seekers in Stoke Heath first emerged when Pritchard raised them in the Commons in June.

The plans were met with strong opposition from residents, who said the site was "wholly unsuitable".

Serco, which is contracted by the government to house asylum seekers, said it acquired the homes while working under the direction of the Home Office.

In a statement at the time, the Home Office said Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood introduced "robust processes to ensure new build sites like Stoke Heath can never be considered again".

It said that development had been identified before the new guidance was brought in.

A residents' meeting was held on 2 July, with more than 100 people turning out.

At that meeting, Pritchard confirmed that the plans had been put on hold while the suitability of the location was reviewed.

On 10 July, the MP said he had received a call from the minister responsible for asylum seekers to confirm the plan had been dropped.

A Home Office spokesperson said: "The home secretary has directly intervened to stop migrants being moved into the Stoke Heath development and no asylum seekers remain on site."

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