Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will provide a copy of risk assessments or feasibility assessments prepared for the housing of migrants at RAF Barnham.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister of State (Home Office)
No final decision has been made as to whether to use MOD Barnham for asylum accommodation.
Large sites (such as former MOD sites) offer a sustainable solution for housing asylum seekers. Accommodation on former military sites is designed to be largely self-sufficient, with essential services being provided on site to minimise impacts on the local community and upon local services and offer better longer-term value for money. They reduce pressure on communities whilst also giving us greater oversight and control at critical points in the asylum decision making process.
The Home Office routinely undertakes due diligence when considering potential accommodation sites. Suitability assessments are ongoing and will consider a range of factors including safety, security, operational deliverability, planning requirement and the impact on local services and communities.
Throughout the development of potential accommodation sites, information is managed in accordance with normal government requirements, including obligations relating to security, commercial sensitivity, policy development and procurement activity where applicable.
The Home Office has submitted an Urgent Crown Development application to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government in relation to the proposed use of MOD Barnham for asylum accommodation.âŻDocuments may be released in due course as part of that process.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reason the Independent Review of Disclosure and Fraud Offences Part 2 by Jonathan Fisher KC was not published until July 2026.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security) (Jointly with the Cabinet Office)
The Government welcomed both parts of Jonathan Fisher KCâs Independent Review of Disclosure and Fraud Offences. Following receipt of Part Two in December 2025, the report's wide-ranging findings and recommendations were considered by relevant government departments and officials before publication of Part Two in July 2026.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, regarding her plans to house asylum seekers at RAF Barnham, whether she intends that all asylum seekers housed there will be male.
Answered by Alex Norris - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
No final decision has been made on whether to use Barnham as asylum accommodation. If deemed suitable, the site would accommodate single adult males between the ages of 18 and 65 who have applied for asylum.
Male asylum seekers (of all ages) constitute the higher number of all adult asylum applications received in the UK. This creates a greater demand for accommodation suitable for males.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the maximum budget will be for appointing a contractor to manage the RAF Barnham site.
Answered by Alex Norris - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
Due diligence and assurance work for all proposed large sites including Barnham is still ongoing. Once complete, approvals will be sought in the normal way and details published as appropriate for Government Major Programmes.
No final decision has been made on whether to use MoD Barnham for asylum accommodation and no contractual agreements have been awarded to manage the site
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her Department's definition is of Islamic extremism.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
As set out in âProtecting What Mattersâ, we are embeddingâŻthe 2024 definition of extremism, available at gov.uk, acrossâŻGovernmentâŻto ensure a consistent understanding of extremism. Alongside this we will be publishing an annual âState of Extremismâ report which will arm frontline, public sector workers with the information they need to identify and confront extremism in the UK.
The counter-terrorism strategy, CONTEST, published in 2023 sets out the Governmentâs understanding of Islamist terrorism.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to proposals to house asylum seekers at RAF Barnham, what transport services will be provided for the asylum seekers who are housed there.
Answered by Alex Norris - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
No decision has been made in respect of the use of MoD Barnham for asylum accommodation. Suitability assessments are ongoing and will consider a range of factors including safety, security, operational deliverability, and planning requirements and the impact on local services and communities. If the site is taken forward, transport arrangements would be considered as part of operational planning and in discussion with relevant local partners.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to proposals to house asylum seekers at RAF Barnham, whether he plans to provide entertainment services for the asylum seekers housed there.
Answered by Alex Norris - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
No decision has been made in respect of the use of MoD Barnham for asylum accommodation. If taken forward as asylum accommodation, MoD Barnham will provide functional accommodation and would be designed to be as self-sufficient as possible including laundry facilities and communal spaces.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to proposals to house asylum seekers at RAF Barnham, whether the asylum seekers will have access to free medical care and free dentistry services.
Answered by Alex Norris - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
No decision has been made in respect of the use of MoD Barnham for asylum accommodation. If taken forward, extensive efforts will be made to minimise the impact on local health services and provision will be determined in discussion with health partners.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the proposals to house asylum seekers at RAF Barnham, a) what educational classes will be offered to the asylum seekers housed there, and b) whether any of these classes will take place at nearby schools.
Answered by Alex Norris - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
No decision has been made in respect of the use of MoD Barnham for asylum accommodation. If the site is taken forward, any education provision, including where it would be delivered, would be considered as part of the operating model and ongoing suitability assessments.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to proposals to house asylum seekers at RAF Barnham, what steps he plans to take to help ensure the safety of women and girls in the area.
Answered by Alex Norris - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
The Government recognises Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) as a national priority and remains committed to reducing incidents through policing, prevention, and safeguarding measures. If the site is taken forward, the safety and security of local communities, staff and those accommodated on site would be of the utmost importance, with appropriate security arrangements developed in close engagement with local police and partners.