An inquiry into conditions at the Manston migrant reception centre in Kent has raised serious questions about decisions made by senior ministers during the 2022 small boats crisis, after thousands of people were held in overcrowded and unsafe conditions.
The former military site near Dover was converted into an emergency facility in early 2022 as the number of people arriving in the UK by small boats increased. It was designed to accommodate about 1,000 people for no more than 24 hours, but by November that year around 4,000 people were being held there.
During a preliminary hearing, Claire Dobbin KC, the inquiry’s lead lawyer, said Home Office officials were aware that conditions at the centre had become unlawful and that children were at risk, but there was no adequate alternative accommodation available.
The inquiry heard that people were sleeping in marquees as the centre struggled to cope with the numbers. There were reports of illness, disease and inadequate care for children who had recently made dangerous crossings of the English Channel.
One of the most serious cases involved Hussein Haseeb Ahmed, a 31-year-old Iraqi national who was suspected of having diphtheria. He was eventually taken to hospital after his condition deteriorated and died on 19 November 2022.
The inquiry heard that Ahmed remained handcuffed until around 2am while in hospital. Dobbin said the circumstances surrounding his treatment and handcuffing would require detailed examination.
The overcrowding also created serious problems for families and children. At one point, around 81 families were reportedly sharing a single toilet, with babies, children, teenagers and adults using the same facilities despite concerns about safety and welfare.
Some people at the centre were also said to have visible injuries. In one case, an individual who had not received medical treatment was reportedly using a plastic wrapper from a croissant as a dressing for a wound.
Dobbin told the hearing that the circumstances affecting children were particularly concerning, noting that the circumstances in which children can legally be detained in England are highly restricted.
A senior Home Office official was also reported to have described the conditions as the worst he had witnessed during two decades of service. In an email, the official reportedly warned that political decisions had left officials and suppliers in an “impossible position” and predicted that the situation would eventually be examined by a public inquiry.
The inquiry has also heard allegations of racism, hostility and aggressive behaviour by some staff towards people held at Manston. Some witnesses reportedly alleged that staff threatened to withhold meals from detainees who wanted to use the toilet.
The evidence is now drawing attention to decisions made by ministers in the Conservative government that was in office at the time.
Former Home Secretaries Priti Patel and Suella Braverman were involved in decision-making concerning Manston and have already provided preliminary evidence to the inquiry. Their accounts are expected to be examined in greater detail during later hearings.
The inquiry heard that Braverman had stated in written submissions that Downing Street was aware of the situation at Manston. She also linked the overcrowding to a decision to pause the use of hotels to accommodate asylum seekers.
There was also evidence concerning Robert Jenrick, who was immigration minister in late 2022. The inquiry was told there had been prolonged periods during which he was disengaged from the situation, although he has also provided a statement.
It remains unclear whether former prime ministers Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak will eventually be called to give evidence about their roles in decisions connected to the centre.
The Manston crisis occurred while the government was pursuing policies aimed at reducing irregular Channel crossings, including plans to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda. At the same time, the rapid increase in arrivals placed significant pressure on the UK’s reception and accommodation system.
The inquiry is continuing to gather evidence, and a date for the full hearings has not yet been announced. Its findings are expected to examine how decisions were made, what senior officials and ministers knew about conditions at Manston, and how the welfare and legal rights of people held at the centre were handled.