Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what each of the clusters of the Asylum Support Accommodation Programme are responsible for implementing.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
Ahead of the roll out of FACT in 2029 when the current AASC contracts end, it was determined that a faster short term measure needed to be introduced to find more non hotel based asylum accommodation, in answer to this need BASP was developed to bridge the current gap in Dispersal Accommodation, support hotel exit and prevent hotel re-entry.
The Asylum Support Payment (ASP) project is aiming to enhance the service for users (c. 79,000) by retendering the service using our framework suppliers. The current contract is delivered by Prepaid Financial Services Limited (PFS) and expires in May 2027.
For FACT we are reprocuring the Accommodation Provision, Accommodation Management including security and sustenance, Transport, Service User Assistance including safeguarding and wellbeing and External Assurance to replace the existing AASC contracts.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an estimate of the number of migrants who have arrived illegally in the UK since 4 August 2025.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
By its very nature, it is not possible to know the exact number of people who arrive to the UK illegally, and so we do not seek to make any official estimates of this. In June 2019, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) published a note on ‘measuring illegal migration’.
However, the Home Office does publish statistics on detected irregular arrivals to the UK in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on detected irregular arrivals by method of entry is published in table Irr_D01 of the ‘Irregular migration to the UK detailed datasets’, with the latest data up to the end of June 2025. Data for July to September 2025 will be published on 27 November 2025. Data on daily small boat arrivals is published at: Small boat activity in the English Channel - GOV.UK.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's document entitled How many people claim asylum in the UK?, published on 21 August 2025, if she will set the reasons why people claimed asylum increased in 2024.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office publishes data on asylum in the ‘Immigration System Statistics quarterly release’. The reason for individual asylum claims is not published. Official statistics published by the Home Office are kept under review in line with the code of practice for statistics, taking into account a number of factors including user needs, the resources required to compile the statistics, as well as quality and availability of data. People claim asylum for a variety of reasons including the country situation and individual protection needs.
In recent years, there has been a stark, and rapid increase in net migration, which simply cannot sustain. Later this year we will set out reforms to the asylum system and to border security in response to irregular and illegal migration, including plans for new legislation building on the new measures already set out in the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill that is currently progressing through Parliament.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the data tables accompanying the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority Annual Report 2024-25, published on 11 August 2025, what the significant extension of the programme scope is as a result of the closure of another programme for the Asylum Transformation Programme; and what that other programme was.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Asylum Transformation Programme consists of a number of projects delivering improvements to the people, processes and technology that make up the Asylum system. Those improvements are delivered across 4 operational areas or programme pillars; Asylum Caseworking, Accommodation and Support, Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC) Age Assessment, and Appeals and Litigation Review (ALAR). These pillars and associated projects are focused on improving the end to end asylum journey by streamlining, simplifying and digitalising processes to speed up decision making; establishing an asylum accommodation system with the right capacity and at optimum cost, whilst reducing the burden on the Appeals system.
Additional scope added to the Asylum Transformation Programme Business Case in April 25 came in two areas. Firstly, the introduction of new appeals focused projects which aim to ease the bottleneck in the appeals and courts system, aligning to the Government ambition to address challenges across the end-to-end asylum system. The second area of expansion enabled the rehousing of three in-flight Age Assessment projects which were added when the Sovereign Borders Programme closed.
The Asylum Transformation Programme (ATP) was rated Amber following its most recent Gate 0 review. Successful delivery of the programme to time, cost and quality was acknowledged as feasible but the Amber rating also denoted the existence of significant issues and subsequently led to recommendations from National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA). The recommendations were accepted and have provided additional mitigation against the risk NISTA identified.to Successful delivery of the programme. The programme proactively assesses government policy in this area as part of its planning and business case development cycle.
The Home Office Sovereign Borders Programme, which was working to support the previous Government ambitions around the Illegal Migration Act (IMA), was closed 2024. This led to a review of the in-flight projects within the Sovereign Borders Programme to identify and reallocate, any projects for which there continued to be a sound business case. Three in-flight Age Assessment projects were identified and have now moved into the scope of Asylum Transformation Programme (from Business Case 25/26). These projects aim to optimise and digitise the age assessment process through new technology, new tools and updated policy processes. This is in line with the programmes objectives to create a more resilient and effective asylum system.
A Move on function was established and has been Operational since August 2024. The Asylum Transformation Programme continues to work with Discontinuations and Move on teams to transform their joint processes to ensure a smooth transition from asylum support into mainstream services.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the data tables accompanying the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority Annual Report 2024-25, published on 11 August 2025, what the new priorities were that required an increase in scope of the Asylum Transformation Programme; and when the increase occurred.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Asylum Transformation Programme consists of a number of projects delivering improvements to the people, processes and technology that make up the Asylum system. Those improvements are delivered across 4 operational areas or programme pillars; Asylum Caseworking, Accommodation and Support, Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC) Age Assessment, and Appeals and Litigation Review (ALAR). These pillars and associated projects are focused on improving the end to end asylum journey by streamlining, simplifying and digitalising processes to speed up decision making; establishing an asylum accommodation system with the right capacity and at optimum cost, whilst reducing the burden on the Appeals system.
Additional scope added to the Asylum Transformation Programme Business Case in April 25 came in two areas. Firstly, the introduction of new appeals focused projects which aim to ease the bottleneck in the appeals and courts system, aligning to the Government ambition to address challenges across the end-to-end asylum system. The second area of expansion enabled the rehousing of three in-flight Age Assessment projects which were added when the Sovereign Borders Programme closed.
The Asylum Transformation Programme (ATP) was rated Amber following its most recent Gate 0 review. Successful delivery of the programme to time, cost and quality was acknowledged as feasible but the Amber rating also denoted the existence of significant issues and subsequently led to recommendations from National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA). The recommendations were accepted and have provided additional mitigation against the risk NISTA identified.to Successful delivery of the programme. The programme proactively assesses government policy in this area as part of its planning and business case development cycle.
The Home Office Sovereign Borders Programme, which was working to support the previous Government ambitions around the Illegal Migration Act (IMA), was closed 2024. This led to a review of the in-flight projects within the Sovereign Borders Programme to identify and reallocate, any projects for which there continued to be a sound business case. Three in-flight Age Assessment projects were identified and have now moved into the scope of Asylum Transformation Programme (from Business Case 25/26). These projects aim to optimise and digitise the age assessment process through new technology, new tools and updated policy processes. This is in line with the programmes objectives to create a more resilient and effective asylum system.
A Move on function was established and has been Operational since August 2024. The Asylum Transformation Programme continues to work with Discontinuations and Move on teams to transform their joint processes to ensure a smooth transition from asylum support into mainstream services.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority Annual Report 2024-25, published on 11 August 2025, what assessment has she made of the potential implications for her policies of the Asylum Transformation Programme amber Infrastructure and Projects Authority delivery confidence assessment.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Asylum Transformation Programme consists of a number of projects delivering improvements to the people, processes and technology that make up the Asylum system. Those improvements are delivered across 4 operational areas or programme pillars; Asylum Caseworking, Accommodation and Support, Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC) Age Assessment, and Appeals and Litigation Review (ALAR). These pillars and associated projects are focused on improving the end to end asylum journey by streamlining, simplifying and digitalising processes to speed up decision making; establishing an asylum accommodation system with the right capacity and at optimum cost, whilst reducing the burden on the Appeals system.
Additional scope added to the Asylum Transformation Programme Business Case in April 25 came in two areas. Firstly, the introduction of new appeals focused projects which aim to ease the bottleneck in the appeals and courts system, aligning to the Government ambition to address challenges across the end-to-end asylum system. The second area of expansion enabled the rehousing of three in-flight Age Assessment projects which were added when the Sovereign Borders Programme closed.
The Asylum Transformation Programme (ATP) was rated Amber following its most recent Gate 0 review. Successful delivery of the programme to time, cost and quality was acknowledged as feasible but the Amber rating also denoted the existence of significant issues and subsequently led to recommendations from National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA). The recommendations were accepted and have provided additional mitigation against the risk NISTA identified.to Successful delivery of the programme. The programme proactively assesses government policy in this area as part of its planning and business case development cycle.
The Home Office Sovereign Borders Programme, which was working to support the previous Government ambitions around the Illegal Migration Act (IMA), was closed 2024. This led to a review of the in-flight projects within the Sovereign Borders Programme to identify and reallocate, any projects for which there continued to be a sound business case. Three in-flight Age Assessment projects were identified and have now moved into the scope of Asylum Transformation Programme (from Business Case 25/26). These projects aim to optimise and digitise the age assessment process through new technology, new tools and updated policy processes. This is in line with the programmes objectives to create a more resilient and effective asylum system.
A Move on function was established and has been Operational since August 2024. The Asylum Transformation Programme continues to work with Discontinuations and Move on teams to transform their joint processes to ensure a smooth transition from asylum support into mainstream services.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the scope is of work to change (a) people capabilities, (b) processes and (c) technology for asylum (i) casework, (ii) accommodation and (iii) other support through the Asylum Transformation Programme.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Asylum Transformation Programme consists of a number of projects delivering improvements to the people, processes and technology that make up the Asylum system. Those improvements are delivered across 4 operational areas or programme pillars; Asylum Caseworking, Accommodation and Support, Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC) Age Assessment, and Appeals and Litigation Review (ALAR). These pillars and associated projects are focused on improving the end to end asylum journey by streamlining, simplifying and digitalising processes to speed up decision making; establishing an asylum accommodation system with the right capacity and at optimum cost, whilst reducing the burden on the Appeals system.
Additional scope added to the Asylum Transformation Programme Business Case in April 25 came in two areas. Firstly, the introduction of new appeals focused projects which aim to ease the bottleneck in the appeals and courts system, aligning to the Government ambition to address challenges across the end-to-end asylum system. The second area of expansion enabled the rehousing of three in-flight Age Assessment projects which were added when the Sovereign Borders Programme closed.
The Asylum Transformation Programme (ATP) was rated Amber following its most recent Gate 0 review. Successful delivery of the programme to time, cost and quality was acknowledged as feasible but the Amber rating also denoted the existence of significant issues and subsequently led to recommendations from National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA). The recommendations were accepted and have provided additional mitigation against the risk NISTA identified.to Successful delivery of the programme. The programme proactively assesses government policy in this area as part of its planning and business case development cycle.
The Home Office Sovereign Borders Programme, which was working to support the previous Government ambitions around the Illegal Migration Act (IMA), was closed 2024. This led to a review of the in-flight projects within the Sovereign Borders Programme to identify and reallocate, any projects for which there continued to be a sound business case. Three in-flight Age Assessment projects were identified and have now moved into the scope of Asylum Transformation Programme (from Business Case 25/26). These projects aim to optimise and digitise the age assessment process through new technology, new tools and updated policy processes. This is in line with the programmes objectives to create a more resilient and effective asylum system.
A Move on function was established and has been Operational since August 2024. The Asylum Transformation Programme continues to work with Discontinuations and Move on teams to transform their joint processes to ensure a smooth transition from asylum support into mainstream services.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent progress she has made on implementing an asylum support discontinuation and move on function as part of the Asylum Transformation Programme.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Asylum Transformation Programme consists of a number of projects delivering improvements to the people, processes and technology that make up the Asylum system. Those improvements are delivered across 4 operational areas or programme pillars; Asylum Caseworking, Accommodation and Support, Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC) Age Assessment, and Appeals and Litigation Review (ALAR). These pillars and associated projects are focused on improving the end to end asylum journey by streamlining, simplifying and digitalising processes to speed up decision making; establishing an asylum accommodation system with the right capacity and at optimum cost, whilst reducing the burden on the Appeals system.
Additional scope added to the Asylum Transformation Programme Business Case in April 25 came in two areas. Firstly, the introduction of new appeals focused projects which aim to ease the bottleneck in the appeals and courts system, aligning to the Government ambition to address challenges across the end-to-end asylum system. The second area of expansion enabled the rehousing of three in-flight Age Assessment projects which were added when the Sovereign Borders Programme closed.
The Asylum Transformation Programme (ATP) was rated Amber following its most recent Gate 0 review. Successful delivery of the programme to time, cost and quality was acknowledged as feasible but the Amber rating also denoted the existence of significant issues and subsequently led to recommendations from National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA). The recommendations were accepted and have provided additional mitigation against the risk NISTA identified.to Successful delivery of the programme. The programme proactively assesses government policy in this area as part of its planning and business case development cycle.
The Home Office Sovereign Borders Programme, which was working to support the previous Government ambitions around the Illegal Migration Act (IMA), was closed 2024. This led to a review of the in-flight projects within the Sovereign Borders Programme to identify and reallocate, any projects for which there continued to be a sound business case. Three in-flight Age Assessment projects were identified and have now moved into the scope of Asylum Transformation Programme (from Business Case 25/26). These projects aim to optimise and digitise the age assessment process through new technology, new tools and updated policy processes. This is in line with the programmes objectives to create a more resilient and effective asylum system.
A Move on function was established and has been Operational since August 2024. The Asylum Transformation Programme continues to work with Discontinuations and Move on teams to transform their joint processes to ensure a smooth transition from asylum support into mainstream services.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of replacing the Asylum Accommodation and Support Contracts as part of the Asylum Support Accommodation Programme.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
Under the Asylum Support and Accommodation Programme (ASAP) now known as Future Asylum Contract Transformation (FACT) Project, a delivery model assessment was undertaken looking at the current Asylum contractual landscape alongside future business needs, this include the current Asylum Accommodation and Support Contracts (AASC) service due to the integration of these services alongside other core Asylum Business requirements.
As with all Public Sector contracts, re-procurement is required to replace any expiring contracts to ensure value for money solutions to support delivery of future Asylum initiatives.
Asked by: Wendy Chamberlain (Liberal Democrat - North East Fife)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will place in the House of Commons Library all (a) reports, (b) reviews, (c) internal evaluation and (d) evidence gathered in relation to her Department's pilot of a 56-day move period from asylum accommodation for refugees with newly granted status to remain in the UK.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Move-on evaluation report will be published as part of the Home Office Analysis and Insights (HOAI) Research Series subject to satisfactory peer review and Ministerial clearance. The House of Commons library and any member of the public can access all HOAI research reports which are published online here: Research at Home Office - Home Office - GOV.UK