THE Government has been urged to set out a time scale for when hotels being used to home asylum seekers will be freed up.

It follows a number of hotels including one near Knutsford that has been asked to provide accommodation for asylum seekers.

Tatton MP Esther McVey said it cannot be a long term solution and has been contacted by concerned residents.

Speaking during Home Office questions Ms McVey called for action.

The Tatton MP said: “Residents of Tatton are concerned about the ongoing nature of supposedly temporary accommodation for immigrants arriving in the local areas.

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“Some hotels are now becoming full time immigration centres and those residing there are in limbo in our town centres. Can the secretary of state tell me what the time scale is for processing these individuals and the time scale to revert this accommodation back to hotels.”

A hotel near Knutsford received an urgent request from the Home Office in October that their premises were needed.

A hotel spokesman said: "We had received an urgent request from the Home Office agency to provide accommodation to Afghan refugees and asylum-seeking children.

"Our team took took a call to back our country's decision to help these people in dire need for food and shelter.

"The hotel would like to thank our guests and the local community for their support and understanding."

Home Secretary Priti Patel said Government had plans to change the way asylum seekers are looked after and hotels were used as a result of the pandemic as people had to be protected under Covid measures.

Ms McVey added: “There are changes linked to the new plan for immigration where we will be ending the use of hotel accommodation for asylum seekers.

"That was a short term solution and our new plan for immigration has long term changes is in the offing for asylum accommodation.”

The measures will be set out in the Nationalising Borders Bill currently before Parliament.