Called the Bibby Stockholm today. Officials say it will be used to house up to 500 men while they await the outcome of their Asylum Applications. Campaigners have expressed concern about the conditions on board, but the government insists the vessel is safe. Danjohnson is in portland, where the barge is docked. What does this say about the welcome we extend to those seeking asylum . Are these the first steps towards a tougher stance long overdue to reduce costs, or are these potentially traumatised refugees being dehumanized, now denied even this to the stability of dry land. These men carried the added weight of the government � s resolve. Of the government s resolve. We successfully of the government s resolve. Successfully onboard the first cohort today, we have had challenges but this is part of an ongoing structured process to bring a cohort of about 500 people on board. There have been some challenges, leaguer challenges, but accommodation is offered to all individuals on and no choice basis. Sen; offered to all individuals on and no choice basis choice basis. Say it loud say it clear refugees choice basis. Say it loud say it clear refugees are choice basis. Say it loud say it clear refugees are welcome i choice basis. Say it loud say it. Clear refugees are welcome here. Even clear refugees are welcome here. Even if clear refugees are welcome here. Even if they oppose their accommodation. We even if they oppose their accommodation. ~. ,. , , accommodation. We wanted really ust to show we cared, fl accommodation. We wanted really ust to show we cared, we i accommodation. We wanted really ust to show we cared, we want i accommodation. We wanted really ust to show we cared, we want to i accommodation. We wanted reallyjust to show we cared, we want to show. Accommodation. We wanted reallyjust to show we cared, we want to show it. To show we cared, we want to show it actually to show we cared, we want to show it actually there to show we cared, we want to show it actually there is to show we cared, we want to show it actually there is support to show we cared, we want to show it actually there is support from to show we cared, we want to show it actually there is support from the actually there is support from the local community, actually there is support from the local community, we actually there is support from the local community, we partly actually there is support from the i local community, we partly wanted actually there is support from the local community, we partly wanted to help them, local community, we partly wanted to help them, give local community, we partly wanted to help them, give them local community, we partly wanted to help them, give them some help them, give them some things they might help them, give them some things they might need help them, give them some things they might need. Help them, give them some things they might need. Weymouth, portland itself, i can they might need. Weymouth, portland itself. I can see they might need. Weymouth, portland itself, i can see that they might need. Weymouth, portland itself, i can see that point they might need. Weymouth, portland itself, i can see that point of itself, i can see that point of view, but we have to welcome them, theyre here, now, we have to welcome them. But theyre here, now, we have to welcome them. Theyre here, now, we have to welcome them. � � , ,. , welcome them. But its impossible to ianore welcome them. But its impossible to ignore here welcome them. But its impossible to ignore here a welcome them. But its impossible to ignore here. A local welcome them. But its impossible to ignore here. A local guy welcome them. But its impossible to ignore here. A local guy who welcome them. But its impossible to ignore here. A local guy who walked l ignore here. A local guy who walked Portland Port first. This ignore here. A local guy who walked Portland Port first. Portland port first. This isnt bein Portland Port first. This isnt being racist, Portland Port first. This isnt being racist, thats Portland Port first. This isnt being racist, thats just Portland Port first. This isnt being racist, thatsjust us. Portland port first. This isnt being racist, thatsjust us saying we need being racist, thatsjust us saying we need to being racist, thatsjust us saying we need to look after ourselves. They we need to look after ourselves. They get we need to look after ourselves. They get showers, they get for three cooked they get showers, they get for three cooked meals a day. We need this to id cooked meals a day. We need this to go up cooked meals a day. We need this to go up to cooked meals a day. We need this to go up to iri cooked meals a day. We need this to go up to in portland. This cooked meals a day. We need this to go up to in portland. Go up to in portland. This is the welcome for go up to in portland. This is the welcome for the go up to in portland. This is the l welcome for the asylumseekers welcome for the Asylum Seekers as they arrive, even if they are not quite clear of who is on board and where theyre headed. The strength of feeling on both sides. Its been beset by delays and weighed down with argument. When journalists were shown around, we were told operational by the end ofjuly. But there were health and safety issues there were health and safety issues the fire service raised concerns and then the Fire Brigades Union labelled it a death trap. Safety record, housing Oil Rig Workers and asylum sequels and other countries but bunk beds shared rooms to help double its capacity at worry. Irate double its capacity at worry. We have to double its capacity at worry. Have to remember these are human beings, the is our people, they have dreams and aspirations just like everyone else. Dreams and aspirations ust like eveeneryersefi dreams and aspirations ust like eve oneelse. ,. , everyone else. Small boat crossings are dangerous everyone else. Small boat crossings are dangerous. Yes. Everyone else. Small boat crossings are dangerous. Yes. The everyone else. Small boat crossings are dangerous. Yes. The Hotel Everyone else. Small boat crossings are dangerous. Yes. The hotel bills| are dangerous. Yes. The hotel bills are dangerous. Yes. The hotel bills are a normal enormous,. Are a normal enormous,. Invest roerl are a normal enormous,. Invest properly in are a normal enormous,. Invest properly in this are a normal enormous,. Invest properly in this asylum are a normal enormous,. Invest properly in this asylum and properly in this asylum and immigration process. Zf} properly in this asylum and immigration process. 20 men have refused to move immigration process. 20 men have refused to move here immigration process. 20 men have refused to move here out immigration process. 20 men have refused to move here out of immigration process. 20 men have refused to move here out of fear. Immigration process. 20 men have| refused to move here out of fear of being left floating with 500 others. Dan johnson being left floating with 500 others. Danjohnson bbc news, portland. Today we learnt that the number of Asylum Seekers in hotels in the uk, is at record levels, up 3,000 since march. Our home editor, mark easton has been looking in more detail, at how the government is trying to solve the problem. Why do we need a barge for a . The real problem lies elsewhere. The number of Asylum Applications have increased lately, now up for point 6000. Backlog of people waiting for the home office to make a decision on their claim has risen by 130 7000, three times that number. The backlog was rising before the increase in applications and are still at record levels. Every Asylum Seekers stuck in the system need somewhere to live, and that, frankly, has proven a nightmare. The home office had to requisition hotels. There are around 50,500 Asylum Seekers in hotel rooms. At a cost of about £6 million every day. And ministers agree that is unacceptable. So where to put all these people instead . The government increased payments to local authorities who accommodate Asylum Seekers, but Many Councils are reluctant to take that. Military and prison sites, skimped and in lincolnshire, east sussex, and even in the Prime Minister � s constituency all talked about it. Legal challenges as i speak only wethersfield has seen any Asylum Seekers arrive and only 46 of them. Which leads us to the Bibby Stockholm. Ward and a private port with capacity for 500 people, the home office wants to move out of hotels. But remember there are 50,000 Asylum Seekers in hotels, so we would need 100 barges to empty all those rooms. The government is pinning its hopes on stopping the flow of Asylum Seekers. Criminalise those who come by regular routes, detaining them, removing them possibly to rwanda. But the rwanda policy also stuck in the courts and ministers are getting increasingly concerned with the problem will get worse before it gets any better. That was mark easton reporting. 0ur Correspondent Ellie price is in dorset for us now. Iv e ive been watching you report all day on this, the official number that we have is so far 50 people on board. 15 that we have is so far 50 people on board. ,. , that we have is so far 50 people on board. ,. ,. ,. , i board. 15 people on board and 20 eole board. 15 people on board and 20 people who board. 15 people on board and 20 people who refused board. 15 people on board and 20 people who refused to board. 15 people on board and 20 people who refused to get board. 15 people on board and 20 people who refused to get on people who refused to get on board, it gives you a sense really have quite why the home office in the uk was reluctant to put a figure on it this morning how many they wanted to come, its clear how many of them didnt end up coming. It gives you an idea really of the issue at the government has in solving this issue. As mark was saying its a very complex issue, almost all cases of how to deal with that there are always these legal challenges, and these legal challenges seem to crop up these legal challenges seem to crop up at the last minute. So it was very difficult to put a finger on it. We do have the official figure now but thats the sense of why it was you know they werent committing to it this morning. fiend was you know they werent committing to it this morning. To it this morning. And ellie, well aet to it this morning. And ellie, well net to the to it this morning. And ellie, well get to the legal to it this morning. And ellie, well get to the legal challenges to it this morning. And ellie, well get to the legal challenges in to it this morning. And ellie, well get to the legal challenges in a i get to the legal challenges in a moment, butjust tell us a little bit more about the criticism of the conditions. The bit more about the criticism of the conditions. ,. , bit more about the criticism of the conditions conditions. The whole point about the barae conditions. The whole point about the barge is conditions. The whole point about the barge is that conditions. The whole point about the barge is that it conditions. The whole point about the barge is that it can conditions. The whole point about the barge is that it can house conditions. The whole point about the barge is that it can house 500 people. Another criticism about that is this is a barge that was originally designed to have 220 people and it has home to those people, its been temporary home to people, its been temporary home to people who are oil and gas workers off the scottish coast, home to migrants and other countries. But in those cases there was the 220 people on board. The capacity has been doubled, thats me me down to bunk beds essentially shared rooms that were previously single occupancy. They invited a load of reporters onto the barge a few weeks ago to show them around, and im told the rooms are relatively spacious, theyve got sweet facilities, showers, toilets, communal areas, recreational areas, rooms with tvs and sofas and quiet rooms for people to have meetings with their legal representatives. And of course the criticism is the right thing to do to put those extra people on board should migrants be sharing rooms, that sort of thing. The concern of some of the protesters here, Weaving Placards saying welcome to refugees, people who had very troubled grounds who may have come from conflict areas, may have been in prison, is that really an environment we want to invite them into . The government was say this is a safe and functional place to put these migrants and the whole point is to reduce the cost to the British Government, cost of £6 million a day to home people, to house people in Hotels Across the uk at the moment and as we heard from mark there are those figures are only going up at the moment. So i think the British Government very much trying to say, look, were doing right then, we meeting our International Obligations to help people who are seeking refuge and seeking asylum, i will meet those responsibilities but clearly we dont want to offer luxury because the whole point about this barge is that it needs to be some version says the government. Thank you so much for bringing us up to date there. We can speak now to natasha tsangarides, who is Associate Director of advocacy at the Freedom From Torture a charity providing therapeutic care for survivors of torture in the uk. Thank you so much natasha for joining us on the programme. Speaking there to our correspondent who is in dorset who pointed out some of the reasons behind the government � s decision to send these Asylum Seekers there. Just your reaction. Asylumseekers there. Just your reaction. ~. , , reaction. We are deeply disappointed that the government reaction. We are deeply disappointed that the government has reaction. We are deeply disappointed that the government has decided reaction. We are deeply disappointed that the government has decided to i that the government has decided to press ahead with the idea of placing people in barge accommodation. We have warned the government time and again that these types of Accommodation Facility whether they are barges, detention, or military barge, highly unsuitable for a population that is highly vulnerable and people who have crossed waters to, in search of safety. These are people who have played more fled persecution. People need access to a rehabilitation and an Environment Thatis Rehabilitation and an environment that is conducive to that well being. That is conducive to that wellbeing. That is conducive to that wellbeina. ~. ,. , wellbeing. While natasha, the government wellbeing. While natasha, the government is wellbeing. While natasha, the government is also wellbeing. While natasha, the government is also saying wellbeing. While natasha, the government is also saying that| wellbeing. While natasha, the. Government is also saying that this is not a prison. The people are free to come and go from the space and that it has an Entertainment Area for example, it has a classroom, it is wi fi, there are spaces for them to be able to be in and relax and, without it costing the government £6 million a day. This without it costing the government £6 million a day million a day. This is a real pr campaign million a day. This is a real pr campaign on million a day. This is a real pr campaign on behalf million a day. This is a real pr campaign on behalf of million a day. This is a real pr campaign on behalf of the campaign on behalf of the government. At the end of the day these are people who have fled torture and war, they have crossed the channel crossings, the ign or the channel crossings, the ign or the mediterranean, and are now being placed on a floating prison surrounded by water. This is a traumatised population that is already experienced the horrors of all sorts. ,. ,. , all sorts. The other thing a that the government all sorts. The other thing a that the government says all sorts. The other thing a that the government says is all sorts. The other thing a that the government says is this all sorts. The other thing a that the government says is this is l all sorts. The other thing a that. The government says is this is part of deterrence. They dont want to create too much of a luxurious environment, again to have people who are desperate to come, pay these people smugglers large sums of monies, to come here. People smugglers large sums of monies, to come here. There isnt actually evidence monies, to come here. There isnt actually evidence that monies, to come here. There isnt actually evidence that these monies, to come here. There isnt actually evidence that these sort l monies, to come here. There isnt| actually evidence that these sort of deterrent measures work, in fact what we see is that people risk their lives day in and day out taking absolutely horrendous journeys when they know that they are facing the risk of death. And so the idea that a barge will be a deterrent to people coming to the uk is frankly ridiculous. fight deterrent to people coming to the uk is frankly ridiculous. Is frankly ridiculous. And natasha what would is frankly ridiculous. And natasha what would you is frankly ridiculous. And natasha what would you say is frankly ridiculous. And natasha what would you say the is frankly ridiculous. And natasha i what would you say the government should do then, because every country and every government has an asylum policy. And they say they cant have an open door policy. What is your suggestion . Is your suggestion . Absolutely. This government is your suggestion . Absolutely. This government needs is your suggestion . Absolutely. This government needs to is your suggestion . Absolutely. This government needs to get is your suggestion . Absolutely. This government needs to get a is your suggestion . Absolutely. This government needs