There has been recent controversy surrounding the UK government’s decision to delete a report that outlined a discriminatory policy used to determine who would be housed on the Bibby Stockholm, a residential barge for asylum seekers. Initially released on Wednesday, the report brought light to discriminatory policies against asylum seekers based on age and sex criteria. Astonishingly, these discriminatory measures were justified under provisions of the Equality Act 2010, which provides certain conditions that allow for the application of discrimination.
The Bibby Stockholm, located in Portland, has been utilised as the living quarters for up to 500 asylum seekers. This practice has been met with a number of criticisms from human rights groups. The report was titled “Portland Port: equality impact assessment” and investigated the policy surrounding the assigning and conditions of accommodations aboard the ship.
According to the assessment, the direct age discrimination was applied, allowing only adult males between 18 and 65 to stay on the barge. This is per Section 13(2) of the Equality Act, often defended as a proportionate way to fulfil a legitimate goal. The report defended this age discrimination as the male asylum seekers in this age group were deemed to have more significant accommodation needs, which aligned with a clear, legal aim. This was also considered one more sustainable solution compared to expensive housing in hotels.
The other discriminatory measure was based on sex, where only men were admitted to the barge. This direct discrimination against women was justified under Schedule 23(3) of the Equality Act, which allows sex discrimination in relation to communal accommodation. The report also ensured that equivalent assistance will be provided to female asylum seekers in alternative initial asylum accommodations or hotels.
However, following the death of an asylum-seeker aboard the Bibby Stockholm, several human rights organizations expressed mounting concern over the utilization of the barge for such purposes.
For a more in-depth discussion, you can visit the original article which covered this development.