Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 9 May 2023 to Question 183335 on Asylum: Hotels, whether her Department is taking steps to assess all (a) planning, (b) licensing and (c) other conditions before hotels are contracted for use as temporary contingency accommodation.

All accommodation must meet the high contractual standards and be safe, fit for purpose and properly equipped. Local Authorities are consulted prior to any accommodation being procured and have the opportunity to object to any proposed procurement.

We engage extensively with Local Authorities, Police, Fire and other partners when establishing contingency accomodation, including using Multi-Agency Forums to ensure concerns are addressed promptly as the site operates.

All our accommodation has the relevant licensing or planning permission before it comes into use for asylum seeker accommodation.