Asylum centre's numbers top 100

The centre operated at one eighth capacity

The number of asylum seekers at the Oakington Immigration Centre in Cambridgeshire has topped 100 for the first time in months.

On 10 January the number of immigrants detained at Oakington was only 32 - a fraction of its 400 bed capacity.

Since the Home Office changed its policy the number of people waiting to have their claims processed has risen to 109.

The Government is now taking applicants from 40 countries instead of just the 10 which are poised to join the European Union.

Costs increased

The empty places at Oakington in Cambridgeshire were estimated to have pushed up the cost to £9,187 per person per week.

If the centre was full, the figure would be £1,176.

A Home Office spokesman said: "The numbers went down because of the way Oakington was being used for very specific cases.

"It's been opened up again in the last few days to other types so the numbers are going up again."

Opponents fear the centre is likely to suffer the kind of violence seen at Yarl's Wood in Bedfordshire last year.

Yarl's Wood detention centre was destroyed by fire after a riot involving detainees awaiting deportation.