Delays to house migrants on huge Bibby Stockholm barge caused by health and safety fears for dock workers, sources claim – as Rishi Sunak vows to stop putting asylum seekers up in ‘£6m-a-day’ hotels

• The huge vessel has been moored in Portland, Dorset for more than two weeks 

Plans to move migrants onto the huge Bibby Stockholm barge are being delayed after the health and safety watchdog raised concerns about the wellbeing of dockworkers, it was reported last night.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has vowed to put an end to British taxpayers paying £6million-a-day to house asylum seekers.

The enormous vessel has been moored in Portland, Dorset for more than two weeks now with the first group of migrants expected to board yesterday.

Around 40 asylum seekers currently staying in hotels have been told by the Home Office they will be transferred onto the barge, but this move is not expected to happen now until next week.

The local council reportedly suggested to the Home Office that the moving the new residents on board the ship on Thursday or Friday could become more complicated as it’s closer to the weekend, it has been reported.  

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has vowed to put an end to British taxpayers paying £6million-a-day to house asylum seekers

The Bibby Stockholm has been moored in Portland, Dorset, for more than two weeks now with the first group of migrants expected to board yesterday

A Government source told Sky that the first arrivals could now come ‘next week’, as the local council in Portland ‘doesn’t want new services beginning on a Thursday or Friday’. 

The insider added that the delay was because of ‘working practices for port workers have to be signed off for the health and safety executive’ rather than ‘fire safety issues’.

It comes after Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service reportedly raised concerns how safely dock workers and migrants could be evacuated if there was a fire when the boat’s capacity was full at 500 asylum seekers and 40 staff.

Local politicians and councillors said the Government should be prepared to reduce the number of people they can house onboard to make sure it is safe, the Telegraph reported.

Richard Drax, the Conservative MP for South Dorset, told the paper: ‘Questions still remain as to whether the barge, originally designed for about 220, can take 500 people and still meet the safety measures being demanded. 

‘If it cannot, then the number of migrants must be reduced to a level advised by those assessing the fire risk.’ 

‘Stopping the boats’ has become one of the Prime Minister’s top five priorities since he stepped into office in October.

Speaking to broadcasters at the Great British Beer Festival in west London’s Olympia exhibition centre, the Prime Minister said: ‘All migrant accommodation has to go through a series of checks and inspections to make sure it complies with regulation, that’s what’s happening in this case.

‘But let’s take a step back, this is ultimately about fairness. I don’t think it’s fair that British taxpayers are forking out six million quid a day to house illegal migrants in hotels – I want to put an end to that.’

There are reports of serious fire safety concerns with the barge and fears it could become a ‘floating Grenfell’

The Bibby Stockholm accommodation barge at Portland Port in Dorset, which will house up to 500 people

The PM’s comments come after a government minister refused to say when the first asylum seekers will be housed on the barge yesterday morning. 

Richard Holden, a minister at the Department for Transport, said it was still undergoing ‘final checks’.

He conceded he couldn’t ‘put a timeframe’ on when the Bibby Stockholm would be in use.

Downing Street has confirmed the final preparations for the vessel include fire safety checks to ensure it meets with regulations.

It comes amid reports of serious fire safety concerns with the barge and fears it could become a ‘floating Grenfell’.

When asked by Sky News when the barge would be up and running Mr Holden said: ‘It’s going through its final checks at the moment.

‘It’s right that… whatever accommodation we provide is safe and secure as well. I can’t put a timeframe on it.’

Pressed on whether safety concerns were behind a delay in people being moved ont the barge, Mr Holden replied: ‘It’s going through final checks at the moment. With anything you’d want them to be properly checked out.’

He added: ‘The checks are going to take as long as they’re going to take. It’s important we get these things right.’

The delay to the Bibby Stockholm is the latest setback to Rishi Sunak’s plans to overhaul Britain’s asylum system in the face of the Channel migrant crisis.

Richard Holden, a minister at the Department for Transport, said yesterday morning that the Bibby Stockholm barge was still undergoing ‘final checks’

The vessel has been moored in Portland

The Prime Minister has also seen proposals to send asylum seekers to Rwanda repeatedly delayed due to legal challenges.

Asked if use of the Bibby Stockholm would be delayed as long as the Rwanda policy – first announced more than a year ago – has taken to implement, Mr Holden said: ‘I can’t comment on the ongoing process of checks and things that have to take place but it is my understanding (it is) in its final checks.’

Despite the delays, locals in Dorset are preparing for the arrival of the asylum seekers. 

Those from the Portland Global Friendship Group, which is an offshoot of Stand Up To Racism Dorset, have been making goody bags for migrants that include a ‘phone-a-friend’ hotline number if they want to chat. 

The well-intentioned gifts included shower gel, deodorant, shaving razors, a map and even a reporter-style notebook and pen.

The hotline number will connect to a mobile phone which will be shared among Portland supporters to answer calls from the migrants.  

This postcard features a phone hotline to Portland families the asylum-seekers can ring up

Heather, from Portland Global Friendship Group is seen outside the port with the group’s bags

A spokeswoman, who identified herself only as Heather, said: ‘We formed because there were local residents who wondered what they could do to help the asylum seekers and show the asylum seekers that they are indeed welcome when they arrive.

READ MORE: Ministers refuse to say when first migrants will be housed on Bibby Stockholm

 ‘We were trying to think about things that would be useful to them, so we have got toiletries, toothbrushes and toothpastes, shampoo, body washes, razors.

‘We have got a notebook and pen, so they can write things down and take notes for their English lessons.

‘We have got a map of Portland because they don’t know the area and are likely to be very scared when they come here and that will help get them around.

‘And someone has very kindly designed us a postcard and on the back it has got Portland Global Friendship Group and it’s got a contact number for a communal phone we are going to be sharing around Portland residents so they can phone it if they want to meet the community or want to have friendship or support or any help from us.

‘I have campaigned for the barge not to be here, I don’t think it’s the right place for it.

‘I’m against it for two groups of people, I’m against it for the Portland residents, Portland is a very deprived space, there is not many jobs, there’s a big reliance on food banks there’s not the medical services we need, a lot of our community resources like our hospital has mostly been defunded.

‘I’m also against it for the asylum seekers, I don’t think it’s right to be housing them on a barge, I think we should be processing them quickly and efficiently.

‘I’m really worried they are going to receive hate from vigilante groups  and even far right groups – I feel very concerned about the asylum seekers.’

MailOnline has contacted the Home Office and Portland Council. 

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