Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 5 November 2025, to Question 86340, on Asylum: Housing, for what policy reason the monetary value of Grant 7 and Grant 6 payments to individual local authorities is confidential.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office do not publicly publish our grant payment levels by Local Authority to protect our relationship with Local Government.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Home Office and its subcontractor are paying above market rates to hire Houses in Multiple Occupation for asylum accommodation.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
This Government is determined to restore order to the asylum system so that it operates swiftly, firmly and fairly. This includes our accommodation sites, as the Home Office continues to identify a range of options to minimise the use of hotels and ensure better use of public money, whilst maintaining sufficient accommodation to meet demand.
The procurement process is guided by principles of sustainability and measured growth, ensuring that accommodation is not only available but also suitable for long-term use and integrated within local communities.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, further to page 122 of the OBR, Economic and Fiscal Outlook, November 2025, CP1439, 26 November 2025, what is her department’s estimated spending on asylum in 2024-25 and each year of the Spending Review.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
Asylum support spend in FY 2024/25 was £4.0 billion and for 2025/26 the budget is £3.6 billion. As per the Spending Review, by FY 2028/29, we plan to reduce this by £1.1 billion, bringing the total spend down to £2.5 billion. The allocations process is ongoing to profile this expenditure and confirm budgets for each year, which will then be published in the Main Estimate.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Government has provided any support to the Sanctuary City and Sanctuary Council movement since July 2024.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
After reasonable checks, the Home Office does not seem to have supported either organisation mentioned.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 11 November 2025, to Question 86658, on Asylum: Housing, if she will outline what specific responsibilities and powers will strategic authorities have in this regard; whether this will involve taking responsibilities from local housing authorities; and whether this will include agreeing the number of asylum seekers to be housed within the strategic authority area, and its allocation to individual councils.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office is working with local authorities to develop several potential asylum accommodation models that could ‘pilot’ a more sustainable, flexible and collaborative outcome. Decisions on the provision of alternative asylum accommodation sites will be made on a site-by-site basis, and we will continue to work closely with key stakeholders and in compliance with published policy.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 11 November 2025, to Question 86658, on Asylum: Housing, what specific function or role will the Greater London Authority have in relation to asylum housing.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office is working with local authorities to develop several potential asylum accommodation models that could ‘pilot’ a more sustainable, flexible and collaborative outcome. Decisions on the provision of alternative asylum accommodation sites will be made on a site-by-site basis, and we will continue to work closely with key stakeholders and in compliance with published policy.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 5 November 2025, to Question 86426, on Asylum: Housing, If she will publish a copy of the pre-procurement documentation sent to potential suppliers of asylum accommodation for the next round of contracts.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The pre-procurement documentation for the Future Asylum Contract Transformation Project will not be published.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 5 November 2025, to Question 86772, on Asylum: Housing, whether the Home Office holds an unpublished guidance or manual on assessing suitability.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
I refer the Honourable Member to the answer provided in PQ 86772.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish a copy of the current version of the Home Office guidance entitled Hotel Contingency Asylum Accommodation: Local authority version.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
Hotel Contingency Asylum Accommodation is procured under the Accommodation and Support Contracts (AASC). The AASC are published and set out our requirements for the sourcing and procurement of accommodation, including how providers should work and consult with local authorities on a range of issues, from pressure on services, to security and the impact on the wider community.
You can find information about specific Home Office contracts using the Contracts Finder, which can be found here: Contracts Finder - gov.uk(opens in a new tab).
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 5 November 2025, to Question 85954, on Asylum: Housing, whether there is a guidance document that the Department follows when reviewing and considering a local authority objection.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
I refer the Honourable Member to the answer provided in PQ 85954.