Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what support the Government provides to vulnerable asylum-seekers in the North East in the transition period between asylum accommodation contracts; and how the needs of those service-users are assessed.

The Home Office and its accommodation providers are working closely to plan, safeguard and minimise impacts on all service users during the transition of services from G4S to Mears in the North East Yorkshire Humber region. This includes the sharing of information in relation to service users’ needs so that providers can consider individual needs ahead of transition.

The ASSC and AIRE contract requires that all Providers comply with all relevant mandatory and statutory requirements and the Authority’s rules, guidance, instructions and policies, including safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults. This includes recognising the indicators of a vulnerable or at risk person with specific needs, and responding appropriately to their needs. In addition UKVI’s Asylum Safeguarding Hub is working closely with providers to ensure a consistent and common framework and standard operating procedures for the identification of needs and safeguarding of vulnerable services users.