"The home secretary has ordered an urgent review into the use and cost of taxis to transfer asylum seekers from their hotels to appointments. The move by Shabana Mahmood follows a BBC investigation that found some migrants having to travel long distances on journeys costing hundreds of pounds. One asylum seeker told the BBC he had taken a 250-mile journey to visit a GP, with the driver telling him the cost to the Home Office was 600."
"Asylum seekers are issued with a bus pass for one return journey per week, but for any other necessary travel, such as a doctors' appointment, taxis are called. The BBC asked the government how much it spends on taxi travel for asylum seekers via a Freedom of Information Act request, but the Home Office said it does not keep these figures."
An urgent review has been ordered into the use and cost of taxis to transfer asylum seekers from hotels to appointments. Some migrants have travelled long distances on journeys costing hundreds of pounds. One asylum seeker took a 250-mile trip to see a GP, with the driver saying the cost to the Home Office was £600. Asylum seekers receive a bus pass for one weekly return journey; taxis are used for other necessary travel such as doctors' appointments. The Home Office does not keep taxi-spend figures for asylum seekers. Ministers said they will investigate and questioned why such long journeys occurred. Four hotels had cramped conditions, illegal working, covered fire alarms, and residents cooking in bathrooms.
Read at www.bbc.com
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