Asylum centres face legal challenge

The Government is facing a high-profile legal challenge over its controversial plans to house thousands of asylum-seekers in accommodation centres across the country.

The legal action comes as ministers are put under increasing pressure to implement tough new reforms to curb illegal immigration.

Last week, David Blunkett, the Home Secretary, agreed to accept more than 1,000 asylum-seekers from the Sangatte refugee camp near Calais, which will close at the end of this month.

Ministers have admitted that the French authorities insisted the Government went ahead with building the new centres, to house up to 800 asylum-seekers, in return for shutting Sangatte. Mr Blunkett has promised to press ahead with camps earmarked for disused RAF bases at Bicester in Oxfordshire and Turnhouse in Nottinghamshire. This week, planning officials will publish the findings of an inquiry into the suitability of the Bicester site.

But MPs and refugee charities are accusing the Government of reneging on a deal to allow an independent monitor to decide the suitability of sites. Mr Blunkett agreed the last-minute deal to overcome fierce opposition to the new Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Bill.

It has now emerged that the monitor will be allowed to intervene only once each individual centre has been built.

The Refugee Council and the Immigration Advisory Service are among campaign groups backing a legal appeal against Mr Blunkett's interpretation of the new Bill. This has been mounted by Tony Baldry, the former Tory planning minister and MP for Banbury.