Asylum: Penally Camp

(asked on 8th February 2021) - View Source

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans her Department has to extend planning permission for the Penally Camp, which is set to expire on 20 March 2021.


Answered by
Chris Philp Portrait
Chris Philp
Minister of State (Home Office)
This question was answered on 11th February 2021

As part of our assurance of our accommodation contracts we recently asked a third party, Human Applications, to undertake a series of property inspections and stakeholder interviews specifically focused on compliance with Covid measures. Human Applications completed their visits, which included both the Napier and Penally sites, and they have now submitted a report with their findings and recommendations. Once we have responded to the report, we intend to share a summary of the findings and actions taken with key stakeholders. We have already shared the report with accommodation providers to allow them to action specific findings.

We do not hold information on how long individuals were accommodated in Penally Training Camp prior to it being used to accommodate asylum seekers.

Napier Barracks, which was previously used to house soldiers and army personnel is safe, habitable, fit for purpose and correctly equipped in line with existing asylum accommodation standards contractual requirements. Risk assessments were carried out following a recent fire at the site and a fire-damaged block has been secured and cordoned off to be demolished, other blocks remain in use.

The Ministry of Defence has given permission to use Penally Training Camp for 12 months. The use of contingency initial accommodation is temporary, and we will discontinue it, and Napier Barracks as soon as we are able.

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