Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has made an assessment of the adequacy of a five-day response window for community consultation on proposals for large-scale asylum accommodation; and whether guidance will be revised to ensure adequate time is provided for local residents and stakeholders to respond.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office remain committed to ensuring that any impact on local communities is kept to a minimum. Consultation with local authority officials forms a vital part of procurement of asylum accommodation. The Home Office and its accommodation providers operate a robust consultation process, which not only ensures that local authorities are aware of all ongoing procurement activity of Dispersed Accommodation in their respective areas but also allows them to share local expertise and intelligence at the earliest opportunity to inform procurement. However, to protect the safety and security of those being housed in Dispersal Accommodation (DA), we do not consult with local residents or publish details of DA address in the public domain.

Our accommodation providers ensure that consultation with local authorities is carried out in accordance with the requirements and standards set out in the Asylum Accommodation and Support Contracts. We work closely with statutory partners throughout the process to ensure effective coordination and oversight.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what oversight her Department has of consultation processes undertaken by private asylum accommodation providers when proposing new accommodation sites; and what minimum standards are required to ensure engagement with local communities.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office remain committed to ensuring that any impact on local communities is kept to a minimum. Consultation with local authority officials forms a vital part of procurement of asylum accommodation. The Home Office and its accommodation providers operate a robust consultation process, which not only ensures that local authorities are aware of all ongoing procurement activity of Dispersed Accommodation in their respective areas but also allows them to share local expertise and intelligence at the earliest opportunity to inform procurement. However, to protect the safety and security of those being housed in Dispersal Accommodation (DA), we do not consult with local residents or publish details of DA address in the public domain.

Our accommodation providers ensure that consultation with local authorities is carried out in accordance with the requirements and standards set out in the Asylum Accommodation and Support Contracts. We work closely with statutory partners throughout the process to ensure effective coordination and oversight.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment has been made of the (a) value for money and (b) adequacy of the performance of contracts held by private asylum accommodation providers under the asylum accommodation programme; and how her Department plans to ensure accountability for the use of public funds under these contracts.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

Over the past year, the Home Office has significantly strengthened its approach to assuring Key Performance Indicator (KPI) data and applying service credits where providers fail to meet contractual obligations. Our inspection and assurance regime is risk-based and proportionate to contract value, combining scheduled and unannounced visits.

As a result of reforms to its contract management capability, the Department has recovered £74 million in the current financial year through profit-share repayments and service credits. We will continue to strengthen transparency and oversight and enhance our MI platforms to optimise assurance and inspection activity.

117th anniversary of the West Stanley Pit Disaster

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Ruth Jones (Chair); Gill German; Simon Hoare; Ben Lake; Andrew Ranger

Found: Tydfil and Aberdare) Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru; Ceredigion Preseli) Llinos Medi (Plaid Cymru; Ynys MÙn) Andrew Ranger

Submit Evidence (by 27 Mar 2026)

Cross-border healthcare affects individuals living in both England and across Wales, who travel between the nations for GPs, specialist care, hospitals, and more. Cross-border healthcare arrangements between England and Wales offer unique challenges, some of which the Welsh Affairs Committee heard during a one-off evidence session conducted in January 2025.