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  "path": "/news/migrant-crisis-labour-u-turn-asylum-seeker-accomodation-county-durham",
  "publishedAt": "2026-03-29T06:22:36.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.gbnews.com",
  "tags": [
    "Britain set to hand over £450 MILLION to France for more beach patrols and new migrant centre",
    "Plans to convert university student flats into asylum seeker hostel BLOCKED by council",
    "Number of asylum seekers in taxpayer-funded accommodation for over a year surges by nearly half",
    "The GB News Editorial Charter"
  ],
  "textContent": "\n\n\nLabour has backtracked on plans to procure more accommodation for asylum seekers in County Durham.\n\nThe Home Office has agreed to extend the pause on purchasing new accommodation in the region after it had previously announced plans for 100 to 150 bedspaces.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nDurham County Council criticised the Home Office for lifting the paused procurement without any consultation from locals.\n\nImmigration Minister Alex Norris has reinstated the pause after concerns about a lack of communication around the decision.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nTRENDING\n\nStories\n\nVideos\n\nYour Say\n\nHe added that the number of spots asylum dispersal places had not increased.\n\nThe Local Democracy Reporting Service has seen a letter where Mr Norris apologised for lifting the pause.\n\nThe Immigration Minister said: \"Following your engagement, I have asked the Home Office to pause any further additions to this pipeline until we can discuss this further.\"\n\nHe said no asylum seekers were currently placed in council homes, which are reserved for County Durham residents.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThere are a number of potential pipeline properties maintained by the Governemnt where asylum seekers could be placed, Mr Norris said.\n\nMr Norris continued: \"As sometimes happens, some properties in use are deemed unsuitable and need to be replaced through this pipeline\"\n\nHe said changes reflected that \"some properties became unsuitable\".\n\nLabour MP for Bishop Auckland Sam Rushworth said there was \"no plan\" to increase the number of asylum-seekers in Durham.\n\n### LATEST ON THE MIGRANT CRISIS:\n\n\n\n\n  * Britain set to hand over £450 MILLION to France for more beach patrols and new migrant centre\n  * Plans to convert university student flats into asylum seeker hostel BLOCKED by council\n  * Number of asylum seekers in taxpayer-funded accommodation for over a year surges by nearly half\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe new asylum-seeker accommodation pause came after Government contractor Mears said it would not buy homes for three months in June 2025.\n\nAt the time the Home Office felt it had \"sufficient capacity\" in Durham, while Mears said the pause allowed local stakeholders to \"further engage\" with the process.\n\nDurham County Council's Darren Grimes in June said Mears were \"hoovering\" up properties in the region.\n\nAnd Reform UK councillor said there the area was \"already stretched\" to a breaking point.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nAt the time, Reform UK had hoped the pause by Mears would lead to a \"permanent freeze\".\n\nIn February 2026, Reform announced the full scale version of its plan, announcing a British version of the US's Immigration Customs and Enforcements agency (Ice) to deport thousands.\n\nIt announced plans to abolish Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), a policy which some have accused Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood replicating by introducing a policy to \"reduce\" the practice.\n\nBut Sir Keir Starmer is set to water down the policy and scrap the plans to double the time required for migrants on visas to qualify for indefinite leave to remain.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n**Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter**",
  "title": "Labour U-turns over plan to procure more asylum seeker accommodation"
}