Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish the (a) terms of reference, (b) timetable and (c) scope of hotels and military barracks selected for the internal review into risk in relation to asylum seekers staying in hotels and military barracks.

The terms of reference for the review of initial asylum seeker accommodation during the Covid-19 pandemic are to:

• Conduct a rapid review of initial accommodation for single adult asylum seekers, including hotels and former military barracks, and provide assurance of compliance with public health guidelines to prevent the transmission of Covid 19.??This will include interviews with a wide range of interested parties including Local Authorities, Strategic Migration Partnerships, commercial providers, non-governmental organisations, asylum seekers and Government officials.

• Provide advice and guidance to the Home Office,?providers and individual accommodation units?on best practice to prevent transmission of Covid 19

This is a rapid review to assure ourselves of the health and safety of asylum seekers during the Covid 19 pandemic. A report is due by the end of the month and we will seek to publish a summary of the recommendations.

We chose sites across the UK that would best inform our national approach going forward. This has augmented our business as usual activity on risk and assessment of accommodation during this time of crisis.