Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how much funding has been allocated to the Shared Rural Network.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government has allocated up to £184 million to upgrade 190 existing Home Office masts across Great Britain through the Shared Rural Network's Extended Area Service project and up to £150 million to build up to 44 new masts in Scotland through the Total Not Spot project. These Government-funded elements of the Shared Rural Network are delivering new 4G mobile coverage to some of the UK's most remote rural areas and are scheduled to complete by January 2027. This funding also includes an allocation to cover the operating costs of these publicly funded sites.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to ensure (a) emerging and (b) under-recognised clinical risks, such as rhabdomyolysis following (i) falls and (ii) immobility, are incorporated into social care policy, guidance, staff training, commissioning requirements and regulatory oversight.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

On 29 July, as set out in the link below, the Prime Minister set out his objectives to reform the social care system, and brought forward the timetable for Baroness Casey’s commission to inform that reform programme:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pm-sets-out-new-path-to-fix-social-care-together-29-july-2026

The current system will be reviewed as part of that process, including support for patients suffering immobility, and we will continue to update Parliament on a regular basis.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department has taken regarding the suitability of a property or site in Audlem, Cheshire East, for use as asylum accommodation since 5 July 2024.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office and its accommodation providers continually assess a range of potential accommodation options across the UK to meet statutory duties.

Decisions on the use of alternative asylum accommodation sites will be made on a site-by-site basis and community cohesion is fully considered in site selection. We will ensure that any development is safe, appropriate and compliant with planning regulations.

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.

The Full Dispersal model works to ensure that asylum accommodation is equitably and fairly spread out across the country, meaning that a small number of local authorities are not unduly burdened. Dispersed Accommodation offers accommodation that delivers better value for money for the taxpayer and helps the Home Office work towards the fair and equitable spread of accommodation.

Whatever decisions are made regarding specific locations, we are clear that the impact on communities must be minimised. The safety and security of people living and working in the surrounding areas is paramount.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether a provider contracted by her Department has entered into negotiations, agreements or contractual arrangements with property owners or their agents for the provision of asylum accommodation in Audlem, Cheshire East, since 5 July 2024.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office provides support under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 to asylum seekers and their dependants who would otherwise be destitute in order to comply with its legal obligations. The Home Office is committed to ensuring that destitute asylum seekers are housed in safe, secure and suitable accommodation, and that they are treated with dignity while their asylum claim is considered.

The Home Office is working closely with local authorities, property partners and the local community as we transition away from using hotels. This will see a move towards the use of large sites, including ex-military sites, for asylum accommodation, to reduce the impact on local communities.

Alongside this, we continue to expand the use of dispersal accommodation. This approach is being implemented in close consultation with local authorities across the UK to ensure dispersal is balanced and community needs and concerns are taken into account.

Property owners are under no obligation to contract with the Home Office’s accommodation providers. We are unable to comment on contractual arrangements between these vendors and the accommodation provider as we are not privy to them, and they are commercially sensitive.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which bodies her Department and its accommodation providers are required to consult before approving new asylum dispersal accommodation; and whether that consultation includes (a) the relevant local authority, (b) parish councils, (c) local NHS bodies and (d) the relevant Member of Parliament.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office and its accommodation providers operate a robust consultation process for the procurement of prospective dispersal accommodation. Proposed properties are shared with nominated local authority officials, providing them with an opportunity to assess the suitability of each property before any procurement decision is made.

Local authorities are given five working days to provide relevant local insights and intelligence, including information obtained from statutory partners such as the police and health services. This information provides vital local context and informs decision making on procurement activity.

This consultation process is undertaken with local authority officials at district level. Elected members are not consulted as part of the procurement process for dispersed accommodation.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what minimum criteria relating to (a) public transport, (b) access to primary healthcare, (c) access to shops and other essential services and (d) proximity to immigration and legal advice services must be met before a property in a rural area can be approved for use as asylum accommodation.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister of State (Home Office)

Full Dispersal means that every local authority nationally, irrespective of rurality, is considered a dispersal area. It is right that they play their part in supporting the Home Office meet its legal obligations in a fair and equitable manner.

Asylum accommodation is procured in line with the standards set out in Schedule 2 (statement for requirements) of the Asylum Accommodation and Support Contracts, which are published on Contracts finder - Contracts Finder

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has approved, provisionally approved or been asked to approve the use of any property in Audlem, Cheshire East, as asylum accommodation since 5 July 2024.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister of State (Home Office)

When a site has been identified for use as asylum accommodation, Home Office officials will write to the local authority Chief Executive and the constituency MP to inform them of plans to accommodate asylum seekers within the alternative accommodation identified. This is normally done in advance of a site being used, but where an urgent need for accommodation occurs, this may take place retrospectively.

The latest published Immigration Statistics detail the number of supported asylum seekers accommodated in each local authority area, including those in dispersal properties. These statistics can be found at Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK.