Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what criteria her Department will use to assess whether asylum seekers are suitable to be housed (a) at former Ministry of Defence sites and (b) on barges.

The Home Office will ensure that all accommodation is safe, habitable, fit for purpose and meets all regulatory requirements. Upon arrival, asylum seekers’ biometrics are captured and they undergo robust security checks against immigration and police databases. All asylum seekers also undergo health checks and a vaccination programme.

We will assess individual’s suitability to reside at each location and will only accommodate individuals who are considered suitable to reside there. Each person’s suitability will be assessed at regular intervals.