Polly has visited the Manston asylum processing centre to see conditions at the centre and to understand more about how staff act to protect border security and maintain safety and welfare.

During the visit she discussed with staff the changes that had been made following the incident that occurred during 2022. Under the previous government, poor government planning that year led to the centre being overwhelmed by new arrivals, leading to a collapse in welfare standards, outbreaks of disease, and concerns about public safety. The events are now subject to a public inquiry announced by the new government, which will look into the failings that contributed to the serious problems at the centre.

Polly also discussed the process of border security checks that take place at the centre, where migrants provide biometric data, have their age verified, and are assessed against a number of national and international databases.

Following the visit, Polly said she had been impressed by the dedication and professionalism of staff at the centre, who were taking their responsibility to uphold national security and ensure high standards of welfare extremely seriously.

Since the 2022 peak, the number of migrants arriving by small boat has fallen by 19.6%.