Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps his Department is taking to ensure it is complying with relevant legislation on housing in multiple occupation in the context of the provision of accommodation for asylum seekers in Belfast.

Home Office accommodation provider, Mears, is contractually obliged to ensure that asylum accommodation in Northern Ireland meets all statutory requirements, including housing in multiple occupation (HMO) licensing and planning.

The Statement of Requirements, available via the link below, sets out the full details of the contractual obligations:

http://data.parliament.uk/DepositedPapers/Files/DEP2018-1112/AASC_-_Schedule_2_-_Statement_of_Requirements.pdf(opens in a new tab).