MID-WORCESTERSHIRE MP Peter Luff has made a fresh warning of violence spilling out into the community if the Government persists with plans to open an asylum seeker centre at Throckmorton.

Earlier this week, the Evening News told how former Tory Home Secretary Kenneth Clarke feared boredom among refugees staying at the isolated centre could cause trouble.

He said this could then spill out into local towns, as the asylum seekers clashed with local youths.

Today Mr Luff said: "Ken Clarke was right to point to the real danger of violence at large asylum accommodation centres.

"We know of the many outbreaks of violence in fields in the Vale of Evesham as pickers and packers from different ethnic backgrounds come in to conflict.

"How much worse it will be when they are compelled not to work a few hours in an open field, but to spend six months or so living together in the most stressful conditions."

Meanwhile, Mr Luff welcomed an assurance from Defence Minister Lewis Moonie that QinetiQ is under no pressure to sell land at Throckmorton to the Home Office for the 750-bed centre.

He believes that QinetiQ can get better prices for the land if it is used to build a science park.

"May I seek an assurance from the Minister that in the run-up to privatisation the Government is not seeking to maximise the short-term value of the company's property portfolio?," Mr Luff asked in a Commons exchange.

"Specifically, will he assure me that he is putting QinetiQ under no pressure whatsoever to sell land at Throckmorton to the Home Office for use as an asylum accommodation centre?

"That would be likely to prejudice the site's long-term value as it develops into a science park, following the great success of the science park at Malvern.

"The management of the property portfolio is a matter for QinetiQ. I assure the honourable gentleman that there has been no pressure from my office, nor, to my knowledge, from any other in the Ministry of Defence, as regards any sale prospect," Dr Moonie replied.

Afterwards, Mr Luff said: QinetiQ will find it very difficult to persuade a latter-day Bill Gates to set up on a science park next door to such a risk.

"They must take the opportunity afforded by this ministerial answer to break off negotiations with the Home Office immediately.