Manston immigration short-term holding facility
(Picture: PA Wire)The Kent asylum centre at the centre of an overcrowding storm just weeks ago is now completely empty, it has been claimed.
Number 10 has not denied reports in the Guardian that Manston, where asylum seekers arriving in small boats from the Channel are taken for initial checks, currently has no occupants.
This comes only weeks after a reported 4,000 arrivals were placed inside the centre near Ramsgate against a reported capacity of 1,600.
The prime minister’s spokesman did not deny it was empty, saying Manston was designed to hold a low number of people and recent "challenges" had caused numbers to temporarily "spike".
He added: "Manston by design is meant to be a temporary holding centre where people are processed for moving on...so you'd expect numbers to be relatively low on a daily basis."
On Monday, immigration minister Robert Jenrick had said the number of migrants now stands at roughly 300, although it was said that number was expected to fall further.
Mr Jenrick spoke on Monday after a man died in hospital following a stay at the Manston migrant processing centre. He did not comment on details of the case or give the man’s identity.
It is understood the individual died in hospital on Saturday morning after “becoming unwell”, and that he arrived in the UK as part of a small boat crossing on November 12. Mr Jenrick said the case should be treated with “respect”.
Manston has faced other negative headlines, including that guards were selling drugs (the contractors responsible were disciplined) and that diphtheria had broken out.
Emma Ginn, the director of the charity Medical Justice, said “questions and concerns” remain unanswered about Manston - following the reports of it being empty.
She said: “The home secretary has been warned repeatedly that detaining vulnerable people beyond the 24-hour lawful limit in the terrible conditions at Manston has been harmful, putting thousands of men, women and children’s health at risk.”
The Home Office was approached for comment and declined to provide a statement.
