Naga Munchetty pressed Labour MP Luke Pollard on BBC Breakfast over government plans to house asylum seekers at a former military site in Oxfordshire, after he repeatedly declined to answer whether the facility would be cheaper than using hotels.
During Friday's instalment of the programme, hosts Charlie Stayt and Naga discussed proposals to house asylum seekers at a former military site near the village of Piddington. Planning permission for housing for up to 1,256 men at the MoD Bicester site was approved by Housing Secretary Angela Rayner after the Home Office used a fast-track route for projects deemed to be urgently needed and of national importance.
The Home Office said this would allow it to continue developing the plan but that no final decision on the site had been taken.
Minister outlines plans to close asylum hotels
Defence Minister Luke Pollard MP joined BBC Breakfast via video link to share the government's plans to reduce the number of asylum seekers currently housed in hotels.
He said: "So we're proceeding with this MOD site at Bicester as part of our efforts to close asylum hotels. So we made a commitment at the general election to close asylum hotels, all of them.
"We have roughly closed half of them that we inherited from the last government, but to move to the closure faster, and to close more of them, the Ministry of Defence has been asked to look at what surplus military sites we have that could support that Home Office effort as part of a whole government activity."
Mr Pollard, who is also MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport, added: "Now, we've already transferred Crowborough, our barracks in Southern England, to the Home Office, where that's being used, and MOD Bicester, which is a very, very large site.
"A portion of that site has been requested by the Home Office, and that's where the Home Office plans to build temporary asylum accommodation, as part of our efforts to close more of those hundred-plus sites and hotels that are still open today."
Naga presses for cost comparison
Naga then noted that Tim McNally, chair of Piddington Parish Council, had pointed out to BBC Breakfast that housing asylum seekers in hotels is "cheaper by half". She added: "He (Tim) said that the business case for this hasn't been disclosed by the government. Is it cheaper to use these facilities rather than have asylum hotels?"
Mr Pollard said the government had saved "roughly £1 billion in closing hotels so far", adding: "The precise calculation of how much it costs is based on how long they are used for and other calculations, which I don't have the figures for."
Naga then asked directly: "Let me make this much simpler then: is it cheaper to house an asylum seeker in a hotel or in one of these facilities today?"
Mr Pollard replied: "So broadly again, forgive me, Naga, it depends on how long you're using that facility, so. So what's the return on the initial investment on the use of that facility? We know that using asylum, hotels are still expensive; there is no cheap option in this mix."
Naga interrupted: "Yeah, I suppose the question is, is it more expensive in a hotel or less expensive?", but Mr Pollard again declined to answer, saying: "It depends on which hotel, how long they're in for, and it also depends on the billed costs of the temporary accommodation sites."
He continued: "Forgive me, Naga, I don't have those figures in front of me here. Just to reinforce, there is not an easy root through this, there is not an easy way to close asulym hotels, as part of the effort the home office not only are we bringing down the asyum backlog, processing people faster, woeking with our colleaguge in France, Germany and the Netherlands..."
Naga responded: "I understand those arguments", before adding: "I do hope that in the very near future you would have those figures; it's quite an obvious question to ask when it comes to costs."
Viewers react on social media
BBC Breakfast viewers defended Naga over her questioning, with one person writing on X: "He's rattled. #bbcbreakfast", while a second added: "MOD land will be used to house illegal migrants ahead of housing for service personnel. He’s talking ****! #bbcbreakfast." A third said: "Oh, do shut him up", while another commented: "That's enough, I've got a headache #bbcbreakfast."
BBC Breakfast airs from 6am on BBC One and iPlayer.
