Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of initial accommodation for asylum seekers.

The Home Office contracted an independent organisation, Human Applications, to conduct a rapid review of initial accommodation for single adult asylum seekers, including hotels and the former military barracks. This was to provide assurance of compliance with public health guidelines to prevent the transmission of Covid 19.

Human Applications completed their visits, and they have now submitted a report with their findings and recommendations. We have already shared a report summary with our partners, including non-Government Organisations and Strategic Migration Partnerships. We have also held workshops with our accommodation providers to allow them to action specific findings.