Draft Asylum Seekers (Reception Conditions) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 Draft Immigration and Asylum (Provision of Accommodation to Failed Asylum-Seekers) (Amendment) Regulations 2026

Will Forster Excerpts

Wednesday 22nd April 2026 General Committees

[Mr Will Forster (Woking) (LD)]

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Sir Jeremy. The Liberal Democrats continue to be disappointed that the Government have not set out a credible plan to tackle the asylum backlog and end hotel use. The Minister said that the Government have a vision—yes, a vision, but not a plan—to genuinely tackle the problem. The current system costs taxpayers £6 million a day in hotel bills, and the most recent data shows that the appeals backlog now stands at 80,000.

The Government’s plan to remove the duty to support asylum seekers risks creating knock-on effects for already stretched local services provided by councils and charities. That is especially true because it is not accompanied by giving asylum seekers the right to work. This time last year, during Committee debate on the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, I tabled several amendments to lift the ban. Liberal Democrats in the main Chamber tabled similar amendments but the Government did not listen. We need to lift the ban, to ensure that asylum seekers can contribute to our country.

The Government say that asylum seekers should support themselves and contribute to society, but are not allowing them to do so. In what world can someone support themselves without the chance of getting the right to work? The Government are still banning asylum seekers from working, and that is wrong. It is about time the Government did a U-turn on that, as they have on many other things. People are instead forced to work in black market jobs and may become victims of modern slavery, prostitution or drug dealing.

The Government make no bones about the fact that they are following the Danish model, yet Denmark allows asylum seekers to work after six months. We Liberal Democrats have long campaigned to lift the ban to ensure that asylum seekers work after three months, which would mean that they could support themselves financially and integrate. We have serious concerns that today’s regulations mean that the housing of homeless asylum seekers will fall to local councils when many are already at real risk of homelessness.

Is the Minister not concerned about how a future Government would use their discretionary powers? If he has to hand the keys to his office to a Reform Government, how would our refugees and asylum seekers be supported? He might think that his Government will support refugees, but this is not just about his Government. Additionally, there is no clear definition of what constitutes “deliberate”. Will the Minister please ensure that the Home Office explains and defines that?

I turn to the statutory instrument on the provision of accommodation. Will the Minister please assure me that that will not increase the burden on local councils following the withdrawal of support? My council, Woking borough council, went bankrupt under the Conservatives, and I would hate for more woes to be added to its problems. Finally, I assume that there will be an exemption for victims of human trafficking. If so, can the Minister outline how it will be defined? We do not want to remove support for them.