§ Mr. John Bercow (Buckingham)I wish to present a petition requesting a public inquiry into any proposal to site an accommodation centre for asylum seekers near Bicester. I speak on behalf of no fewer than 324 constituents.
The petition states:
The petitioners request that the House of Commons urges the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions to exercise his discretion to ensure that in respect of any proposal by the Home Office to site an accommodation centre for asylum seekers on land vacated by the Ministry of Defence on the outskirts of Bicester there be a Full Public Enquiry.That such Public Enquiry provide proper opportunity for the providers of local services, elected representatives of local communities and local people themselves to give evidence and be heard on the merits of any such proposal.And that the Secretary of State in determining any dispute or differences between the Home Office and Cherwell District Council in respect of any application for such an accommodation centre, should, pursuant to the arrangement set out in Part 4 of the Memorandum attached to the DoE circular 18/84, exercise his discretion to ensure and facilitate a Public Enquiry.And the petitioners remain, etcetera.To lie upon the Table.