The Manx government insists it has still not been approached by the UK government about any plan to house asylum seekers here.

Newspapers in the UK are once again reporting that Home Secretary Priti Patel is considering ’offshoring’ refugees.

Among locations apparently being considered are the Isle of Man, the Isle of Wight and the Scottish islands, according to The Times.

Mrs Patel will publish details next week of plans for the biggest overhaul of the asylum and immigration system for a generation.

It will include a consultation on changing the law so that migrants seeking asylum can be sent to processing centres in third countries.

At present thousands are being housed in hotels.

Specific sites will not be disclosed next week.

But a spokesman for the Manx government said the position has not changed since October when no approach had been made by Westminster.

The Manx government does not comment on what appear to be reports of leaked UK government documents, he told Isle of Man Newspapers back in October.

But he added: ’However, as the Isle of Man is self-governing, the UK government would not be able to open any sort of processing centre on the island without consent. The UK government has not contacted the Isle of Man government about any such proposal.’

Chief Minister Howard Quayle was quoted in the Daily Mail, saying: ’I can confirm that at no time has the Isle of Man Government been approached or advised about plans to use the Isle of Man for such a purpose.

’Along with ideas to build a road tunnel under the Irish Sea or a bridge above it, this latest idea simply adds to the rich tapestry of life we are dealing with at present.

’April 1st isn’t until next month’.

More than 800 people have crossed the Channel this year, three times as many as over the same period in 2020. A record 8,420 migrants crossed in small boats last year.

The new legislation will include life sentences for people smugglers and also the establishment of migrant reception centres on government land.

The Home Secretary has been warned that the proposals could be delayed for years in the face of human rights challenges.