Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps his is taking to ensure a smooth transition in the transfer of asylum accommodation contracts; and if he will make a statement.

The Home Office has designed the new contracts to replace the current COMPASS services to ensure a smooth transition from the old contractual obligations to the new contractual requirements.

The timetable allows eight months for mobilisation and transition activities, which is consistent with the timeline for transition to operationalise the current contracts.

The Asylum Accommodation and Support Contract (AASC) mobilisation transition plans have also built on a number of lessons, including the creation of an appropriately resourced function with suitable experience, expertise and understanding of the new contracts.

We will be working with local authorities to ensure an effective transition

A Written Ministerial Statement was laid before the House on 8 January 2019 with further details of this contract transition; https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2019-01-08/HCWS1237/