It is understood the matter came to light after asylum seekers at the Ramsgate site complained that security staff had tried to sell them cannabis. Security guards also raised concerns that their colleagues were smoking the drug while on duty. A Home Office statement to the Guardian titled ‘cannabis at Manston’ said: “The Home Office expects the highest standards of professionalism from everyone contracted to run the detention estate. The individuals involved in this incident were swiftly removed from the site and we will continue to take strong action against those whose behavior falls below these high standards.” Labor said the latest revelation about the troubled site was evidence that Home Secretary Suella Braverman had “completely lost control of the asylum system”. Braverman faces a legal challenge over conditions at Manston, which houses thousands of people seeking asylum in the UK. On Thursday, the Home Secretary flew into Manston in a Chinook helicopter to visit the center for the first time. The Home Office said more than 1,200 people had been displaced in the past four days. At one point, 4,100 people, including children and pregnant women, lived in a space designed for 1,600. The Guardian revealed various infectious diseases in the area, including diphtheria, scabies and MRSA. Chairs of several parliamentary select committees, including the home affairs committee, wrote to the home secretary on Wednesday expressing concerns about conditions at the Manston site. These include a lack of adequate safeguards for children on the site and a failure to identify which adults on the site should be labeled “adults at risk” due to certain vulnerabilities. Stephen Kinnock, the shadow immigration secretary, condemned the revelations. “The Home Secretary has completely lost control of an asylum system which is broken by 12 years of Tory neglect and, as the Prime Minister has been forced to admit, is not processing applications quickly enough. “This latest shocking revelation shows the extent to which the Home Secretary’s chaotic approach is putting children at risk. Labor has a plan to speed up the processing of asylum claims which has halved since 2015 and clear the backlog which is becoming a key recruitment tool for criminal gangs. We would also invest in an elite specialist unit in the National Crime Agency to crack down on criminal gangs.” Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, said: “This is appalling and further proof that Manston is not fit for purpose with men, women and children being subjected to inhumane treatment.” Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you to the top stories and what they mean, free every weekday morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertising and content sponsored by external parties. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Clare Moseley, the founder of the charity Care4Calais, which works with asylum seekers in both northern France and the UK, said: “The Home Office pays huge sums of money to external partners to look after asylum seekers, but this is not removes their responsibility. This is a colossal failure of oversight and care and the ultimate responsibility lies with Suella Braverman, who must understand that she has a responsibility on behalf of our nation to care for these incredibly vulnerable people.” Home Office sources said: “The Home Office takes the safety and welfare of prisoners in its care extremely seriously. Whistleblowing procedures are in place to allow service providers and Home Office staff to safely and securely report any concerns, including concerns about misconduct and inappropriate behaviour.’
title: “Home Office Contractors Removed For Trying To Sell Drugs At Manston Asylum Immigration And Asylum " ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-27” author: “Rebecca Stuckey”
It is understood the matter came to light after asylum seekers at the Ramsgate site complained that security staff had tried to sell them cannabis. Security guards also raised concerns that their colleagues were smoking the drug while on duty. A Home Office statement said: “The Home Office expects the highest standards of professionalism from everyone contracted to manage the custody estate. The individuals involved in this incident were swiftly removed from the site and we will continue to take strong action against those whose behavior falls below these high standards.” Labor said the latest revelation about the troubled site was evidence that Home Secretary Suella Braverman had “completely lost control of the asylum system”. Braverman faces a legal challenge over conditions at Manston, which houses thousands of people seeking asylum in the UK. On Thursday, the Home Secretary flew into Manston in a Chinook helicopter to visit the center for the first time. The Home Office said more than 1,200 people had been displaced in the past four days. At one point, 4,100 people, including children and pregnant women, lived in a space designed for 1,600. The Guardian revealed various infectious diseases in the area, including diphtheria, scabies and MRSA. Chairs of several parliamentary select committees, including the home affairs committee, wrote to the home secretary on Wednesday expressing concerns about conditions at the Manston site. These include a lack of adequate safeguards for children on the site and a failure to identify which adults on the site should be labeled “adults at risk” due to certain vulnerabilities. Stephen Kinnock, the shadow immigration secretary, condemned the revelations. “The Home Secretary has completely lost control of an asylum system which is broken by 12 years of Tory neglect and, as the Prime Minister has been forced to admit, is not processing applications quickly enough. “This latest shocking revelation shows the extent to which the Home Secretary’s chaotic approach is putting children at risk. Labor has a plan to speed up the processing of asylum claims which has halved since 2015 and clear the backlog which is becoming a key recruitment tool for criminal gangs. We would also invest in an elite specialist unit in the National Crime Agency to crack down on criminal gangs.” Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, said: “This is appalling and further proof that Manston is not fit for purpose with men, women and children being subjected to inhumane treatment.” Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you to the top stories and what they mean, free every weekday morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertising and content sponsored by external parties. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Clare Moseley, the founder of the charity Care4Calais, which works with asylum seekers in both northern France and the UK, said: “The Home Office pays huge sums of money to external partners to look after asylum seekers, but this is not removes their responsibility. This is a colossal failure of oversight and care and the ultimate responsibility lies with Suella Braverman, who must understand that she has a responsibility on behalf of our nation to care for these incredibly vulnerable people.” Home Office sources said: “The Home Office takes the safety and welfare of prisoners in its care extremely seriously. Whistleblowing procedures are in place to allow service providers and Home Office staff to safely and securely report any concerns, including concerns about misconduct and inappropriate behaviour.’
