Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress is being made in setting up "hotspot" screening centres for refugees and migrants in Italy and Greece; and where those centres will be located.

Greece intends to set up ‘hotspots’ in Lesvos, Kos, Leros, Samos and Chios. In Italy the centres will be located at Pozzallo, Porto Empedocle, Trapani and Lampedusa.

Progress in the setting up of ‘hotspots’ in Italy and Greece has been slower than the Government expected and the UK has expressed its disappointment at this on a number of occasions in bilateral and European meetings.

We will look to increase our provision of resource to the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) to support the coordination of the measures. We have reiterated the importance of hotspots fulfilling their full remit, including efficient fingerprinting and registering of migrants and the returns of those found not to be in need of international protection.