Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will place in the Library a copy of all guidance and benchmarking criteria used by her Department, its contractors and agents when assessing the adequacy and suitability of placement accommodation allocated to pregnant women and nursing mothers in receipt of section 4 support under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.

The guidance and procedures on providing accommodation to pregnant women in the
asylum support system is contained in the policy document "Healthcare needs and
Pregnancy Dispersal guidance", which can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/healthcare-needs-and-pregnancy-disper
sal-instruction

The Home Office is currently considering some changes to the document following
consultation with the Refugee Council and Maternity Action.

Pregnant women are already recognised as a vulnerable group in the asylum
support system. Regulation 4 of the Asylum Seekers (Reception conditions)
Regulations 2005 provides that their special needs must be taken into
consideration.