Baroness Humphreys

As both the Prime Minister and Chancellor have made clear, the Government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID 19 and we have been clear in our intention that everyone should be supported to do the right thing.

The second of five UK charter flights from New Zealand landed at London Heathrow on 27 April. We have so far chartered two flights back from New Zealand, one from Auckland on 28 April and one from Christchurch on 30 April, with one further flight from Auckland on 2 May. In response to demand, a second group of flights has now been opened for booking, departing Auckland on 11, 15 May and Christchurch on 13 May, also to London Heathrow via Hong Kong.

We have prioritised the most vulnerable and our NHS workers. We subsequently extended these flights to all British travellers remaining in New Zealand. We have advised those who would like to return to the UK to register with our travel partner Corporate Travel Management (CTM) through their online portal, which can be found in our 'Return to the UK' page of our New Zealand travel advice.

The Government is committed to delivering on its manifesto commitments and will set out further details in due course.

Increasing the Primary Threshold and Lower Profits Limit only affects the point at which employees and the self-employed start paying Class 1 and Class 4 NICs respectively. These thresholds have no impact on State Pension eligibility.

The Home Office has a statutory obligation to provide accommodation and other support to asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute while their application for asylum is being considered.

The Home Office accommodates and provides support to supported asylum seekers in contingency accommodation whilst we consider their asylum claim and we do not provide funding to either the Welsh government or local authorities with regard to this cohort of asylum seekers. Our accommodation providers have a robust delivery model in place to ensure hotel accommodation is managed well to minimise impact on the local community.

The Full Dispersal model, announced on 13 April 2022 is supported by £21million of un-ringfenced grant funding to make sure eligible local authorities can provide wraparound support locally. Local authorities will also receive £3,500 for each new dispersal accommodation bed space in the 22/23 financial year.

No diseases are known to have originated from Manston. To date, there is no evidence of community transmission of either Diphtheria or Scabies at Manston. Individuals receive an initial high level medical screening on arrival at Western Jet Foil – as of 10 December, this has now been supplemented by a doctor being onsite at Western Jetfoil between 0800 and 2000 each day, mirroring the Emergency Department Consultant cover at Manston.

Manston Asylum Processing Centre is equipped with all necessary medical facilities. If individuals display infectious disease symptoms after arrival at Manston then these people are examined by medical personnel. A tiny fraction of arrivals so examined have been found to be suffering communicable and/or notifiable diseases. If this happens then individuals are immediately isolated and treated with antibiotics, being accommodated in an appropriate isolation facility until medically fit. Only once individuals are deemed medically fit can they be transferred from isolation to contingency dispersal accommodation.

No diseases are known to have originated from Manston. To date, there is no evidence of community transmission of either Diphtheria or Scabies at Manston. Individuals receive an initial high level medical screening on arrival at Western Jet Foil – as of 10 December, this has now been supplemented by a doctor being onsite at Western Jetfoil between 0800 and 2000 each day, mirroring the Emergency Department Consultant cover at Manston.

Manston Asylum Processing Centre is equipped with all necessary medical facilities. If individuals display infectious disease symptoms after arrival at Manston then these people are examined by medical personnel. A tiny fraction of arrivals so examined have been found to be suffering communicable and/or notifiable diseases. If this happens then individuals are immediately isolated and treated with antibiotics, being accommodated in an appropriate isolation facility until medically fit. Only once individuals are deemed medically fit can they be transferred from isolation to contingency dispersal accommodation.

Due to the continuing unprecedented high volume of small boats arrivals and the historical pressure from COVID-19 on the asylum system it has been necessary to use hotels to accommodate some asylum seekers. This is only a temporary solution, and we are working with our accommodation providers to find appropriate dispersed accommodation across the United Kingdom.

For safeguarding purposes, we do not publicly comment on individual hotels which may or may not be utilised, or those that may be accommodated at any sites.

The welfare and safety of all vulnerable asylum seekers in our care is of the utmost importance to the Home Office.

We work closely with the UK Health Security Agency to ensure we adhere to the current guidance on mitigating the risk of spread of diseases and other health conditions. Our accommodation providers are experienced in managing accommodation and implement infection prevention and control measures in line with current Government guidance. Asylum seekers accommodated in hostel-based accommodation receive translated guidance in relation to potential symptoms and hygiene requirements, assistance and guidance are provided by support staff.

It is confirmed that the site had six scabies cases, all cases have been treated, which was completed on 26/11/2022.

Regarding diphtheria, there are no cases for now, as per NHS Doctor's advice. All guests have been vaccinated with the 1st dose on 05/12/2022.