"Gosport is not suitable for small boat disembarkations" as council again seeks assurances from the government
Council seeks clarity from Government over small-boat operations in Gosport
The government is again being asked for assurances that Gosport and Fort Blockhouse will not be used for small-boat operations after it failed to rule it out.
Gosport Borough Council has written again to the Minister for Border Security and Asylum after receiving a response to concerns it raised following recent incidents in the area which it said did not address its question.
The Home Office has confirmed that it does not intend to establish Portsmouth as a routine or designated location for small-boat disembarkations and that revised contingency arrangements have been introduced following the disruption at Eastney. However, the council says the response does not specifically clarify the position for Gosport or Fort Blockhouse.
Councillor Zoe Huggins, Leader of Gosport Borough Council, said: “We recognise that protecting life at sea must always come first, and that emergency situations can develop quickly.
“However, we need greater clarity about the Government’s plans for Gosport and Fort Blockhouse. Our position is clear that Gosport is not suitable as a routine or planned location for small-boat disembarkations or initial processing.
“We have asked the Government to provide clear answers about whether Gosport or Fort Blockhouse remains under consideration, how potential sites are assessed, and how local authorities and emergency services will be kept informed. The response was disappointing, as it appears that in the Minister's statement, she only refers to Portsmouth. I believe this shows a lack of understanding of where Gosport is located and its constraints.
“We want to work constructively with the Government and our local partners so that there are clear arrangements in place, and the particular circumstances of Gosport are properly understood.”
As previously reported by The News small boats carrying migrants attempting to cross the Channel were directed to the Solent three times within the space of a month.
The first was docked at Eastney in Portsmouth on September 6, a second was thought to be headed for Gosport on September 22 but occupants were transferred at sea to a Border Force vessel at the last minute and taken straight to Dover, and a third was docked at Fort Blockhouse on October 4. In all cases the migrants were taken directly to a processing centre in Kent and there were local protests.
There was also an additional protest against small boats in Gosport yesterday (Sunday, October 25) as well.
Gosport Borough Council said is also seeking further information about the operational response to events on 22 September and 4 October, the resources and costs involved, and the Government's revised contingency arrangements. It has asked for a formal communications and engagement protocol between the Home Office, Border Force, the council and relevant emergency and maritime authorities.
The council has also written to Gosport MP Dame Caroline Dinenage asking for her continued support in seeking answers from the Government.
The MP has said she is “hacked off” by the government's response in which seems to confuse the town with Portsmouth - and provides no answers or reassurance about Gosport.