Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy to ensure that pregnant women and nursing mothers in receipt of section 4 support under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 are recognised as a vulnerable group when contracting and allocating placement accommodation.

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.