§ Mr. LidingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of the weekly cost of housing an asylum seeker at Oakington(a) is and (b) will be when the centre is operating at full capacity accounted for by the costs of Immigration and Nationality Directorate staff on site. [142772]
§ Mrs. Roche[holding answer 14 December 2000]: I am now in a position to reply in full to the question.
At 19 December 2000, the current weekly unit cost of housing an asylum seeker at Oakington was estimated at £1,536. That cost is broken down as follows: £1.004 for the supervision of detainees, security and related costs; 493W £243 for Immigration and Nationality Directorate staff costs and £289 for running costs such as interpreters, office accommodation, telephone and other general office expenses.
The weekly unit cost of housing an asylum seeker when operating at full capacity was given as £800 in my answer to the right hon. Member for Maidstone and The Weald (Miss Widdecombe) on 26 October 2000, Official Report, column 217W. That remains the estimate of which some 16 per cent. (£128) is expected to be accounted for by the costs of Immigration and Nationality Directorate staff on site.