Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether any unaccompanied minors seeking asylum are living in contingency accommodation sites.

The UK is experiencing an unprecedented increase in the number of people making life-threatening journeys to cross the Channel. These boats are often carrying unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UASC) and this has placed unprecedented pressure on the National Transfer Scheme. Out of necessity and with the children’s best interests in mind, we have arranged for them to be accommodated on an emergency and temporary basis in hotels, whilst placements with local authorities are being vigorously pursued.

Hotel accommodation is only ever a temporary means to accommodate the increased number of UASC arriving, not a long-term solution. The Home Office is using five hotels to accommodate young people temporarily. Each hotel has a team of support workers throughout the day and night to ensure children are supported, safe and their daily care needs are met. Additional support is provided on site by teams of social workers and nurses. The Home Office have sole occupancy of all hotels where UASC are temporarily accommodated.