SUE Elliot asks where to place people arriving unauthorised at our shores if not in empty military bases such as Linton on Ouse (Letters, May 18)

One suggestion that has much to commend it is to use redundant cruise ships which would otherwise be mothballed or scrapped.

These vessels are designed to house, feed and entertain large numbers of people in comfort. They can be moored on a long-term basis or anchored in a safe harbour if a greater level of security and control is deemed appropriate.

Also they have the added advantage they can be moved at little cost if one location proves problematic.

Whether genuine asylum seekers or unauthorised economic migrants seeking a better life, these ships could accommodate these people safely without harm to local populations while applications to stay permanently are considered.

Far better to do this than impose large numbers of people on unwilling communities.

Matthew Laverack,

Eldon Street,

York

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I SEE Kevin Hollinrake is outraged at the announcement of the first group of illegal immigrants (I will not use the bogus term of asylum seekers) will be moving into the new site at Linton on Ouse.

If this government had a spine they would be loaded on to planes and sent straight out to Rwanda with no possibility of ever being allowed to set foot on British soil again.

But I knew this would never happen, the government's proposal was just a gimmick thrown in before the local elections hoping the public would believe they meant it or that the handful of civil servants who still bother to turn up for work would actually implement it.

The government could have used a piece of primary legislation which would have meant the ambulance chasing lawyers wouldn't have a legal leg to stand on when trying to block it.

Still, Mr Hollinrake doesn't need to worry, he'll keep being re-elected in his safe Tory seat.

Start putting these centres in strong left-wing Labour voting areas instead though and you might see people changing their voting habits.

Until that happens we will continue to see our elected representatives be completely ignored by their own party leadership.

Dr Scott Marmion,

Woodthorpe,

York

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THE plan for the reception centre at Linton on Ouse has really brought home to the citizens of York and surrounding districts the problems associated with asylum seekers.

The idea is to home up to 1,500 non-detained, testosterone-fuelled, men in a village of 600 adults, and within a few miles of the hen party capital of the North, a city awash with drink and drunks on most weekends.

Are the asylum seekers going to be escorted and supervised outside their accommodation and are the police going to be proactive towards problems rather than reactive?

Over the last few weeks we've had large numbers of police flooding the streets of York. Will they be here when we need them? I doubt it.

D M Deamer,

Penleys Grove Street,

Monkgate

York

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