Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the impact of housing (a) refugees and (b) asylum seekers in Ipswich on social cohesion.

We have a set of Asylum Accommodation Plans which take an evidence-based approach to the procurement and occupancy of Dispersal Accommodation; ensuring we are finding suitable accommodation to fulfil our statutory duty, while considering the impacts on local areas.

The Home Office continues to work with local government to allocate asylum seekers based on a range of evidence, including the availability of housing, pressure on services and community cohesion.

Whatever decisions are made regarding specific locations, we are clear that the impact on communities must be minimised.