Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of proposals to accommodate asylum seekers at MoD Bicester on access to and use of nearby community facilities, including those used by Five Acres Primary School and junior and youth football teams at Launton Football Club.
Answered by Alex Norris - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
No decision has been made in respect of the use of MoD Bicester for asylum accommodation. Suitability assessments are ongoing and will consider a range of factors including safety, security, operational deliverability, planning requirements, and the impact on local services and communities.
The Home Office is engaging with local authorities, emergency services, health partners and other stakeholders as proposals develop and will continue to engage with relevant local partners should plans be progressed.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department was consulted by the Home Office on the potential road safety implications of proposals to accommodate asylum seekers at MoD Bicester, including impacts on the B4011 and the use of that route by high-sided vehicles seeking to avoid the height-restricted railway bridge on the A41.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department for Transport has not been consulted by the Home Office on the potential road safety implications of proposals to accommodate asylum seekers at MoD Bicester.
Local traffic management, including consideration of impacts on local roads such as the B4011, is a matter for the relevant local highway authority, Oxfordshire County Council. It would be for the Home Office, as the lead department for the proposals, to engage with the appropriate local authorities and other relevant bodies as necessary.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what period he plans to give (a) local residents (b) the local planning authority and (c) relevant statutory consultees to respond to consultation under an Urgent Crown Development Order procedure before such an application is determined.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Town and Country Planning (Crown Development) (Urgent Applications) (Procedure) (England) Order 2025 sets out the procedure for determining Urgent Crown development applications.
Where the Secretary of State has published an application and notifies consultees, he will also publish the period within which representations must be made and notify consultees of that date.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, for what reason his Department determined that proposals for the use of site A at MoD Bicester for asylum accommodation should be considered under the Urgent Crown Development Order process.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The decision in question was taken having regard to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 13 February 2025 (HCWS454).
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on what date notice was served by his Department on the current occupants and users of the proposed asylum accommodation site at MoD Bicester.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Head of Establishment at MOD Bicester was engaged on proposals to use the site as asylum accommodation in November 2025. In addition, prior to the announcement on 25 June 2026, formal notice to vacate the site was given, in May 2026, to a business owner who leases several buildings on the site.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessments, including surveys, inspections and due diligence exercises, have been undertaken at Site A at MoD Bicester in connection with its proposed use as asylum accommodation.
Answered by Alex Norris - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
No final decision has been made regarding the use of Site A at MoD Bicester for asylum accommodation. The site remains subject to ongoing feasibility, planning, design, assurance and governance processes. The Home Office routinely undertakes due diligence when considering potential asylum accommodation sites, including assessments of suitability, deliverability, safety, security, planning considerations and impacts on local services and communities.
As part of this work, a range of surveys, inspections and technical assessments are undertaken as appropriate to inform decision-making. Feasibility work and initial surveys have been progressing as part of the assessment of the site. The Home Office first informed MOD of a proposal to potentially use MOD Bicester for Asylum Accommodation in November 2025.
The Home Office engages with relevant Government departments, local authorities, emergency services, health partners and other statutory stakeholders where appropriate as proposals develop. Operational Working Groups and stakeholder engagement activity have already taken place with local partners to support consideration of the proposal.
Throughout the development of potential accommodation sites, information is managed in accordance with normal Government requirements, including obligations relating to security, commercial sensitivity, policy development and procurement activity where applicable.
The Home Office keeps its asylum accommodation estate under regular review and works across Government to identify potential accommodation options. Consideration of individual sites forms part of that ongoing process.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether any confidentiality requirements or restrictions on the disclosure of information have been issued in connection with proposals to use Site A at MoD Bicester for asylum accommodation.
Answered by Alex Norris - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
No final decision has been made regarding the use of Site A at MoD Bicester for asylum accommodation. The site remains subject to ongoing feasibility, planning, design, assurance and governance processes. The Home Office routinely undertakes due diligence when considering potential asylum accommodation sites, including assessments of suitability, deliverability, safety, security, planning considerations and impacts on local services and communities.
As part of this work, a range of surveys, inspections and technical assessments are undertaken as appropriate to inform decision-making. Feasibility work and initial surveys have been progressing as part of the assessment of the site. The Home Office first informed MOD of a proposal to potentially use MOD Bicester for Asylum Accommodation in November 2025.
The Home Office engages with relevant Government departments, local authorities, emergency services, health partners and other statutory stakeholders where appropriate as proposals develop. Operational Working Groups and stakeholder engagement activity have already taken place with local partners to support consideration of the proposal.
Throughout the development of potential accommodation sites, information is managed in accordance with normal Government requirements, including obligations relating to security, commercial sensitivity, policy development and procurement activity where applicable.
The Home Office keeps its asylum accommodation estate under regular review and works across Government to identify potential accommodation options. Consideration of individual sites forms part of that ongoing process.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on what date her Department first considered Site A at MoD Bicester as a potential location for asylum accommodation.
Answered by Alex Norris - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
No final decision has been made regarding the use of Site A at MoD Bicester for asylum accommodation. The site remains subject to ongoing feasibility, planning, design, assurance and governance processes. The Home Office routinely undertakes due diligence when considering potential asylum accommodation sites, including assessments of suitability, deliverability, safety, security, planning considerations and impacts on local services and communities.
As part of this work, a range of surveys, inspections and technical assessments are undertaken as appropriate to inform decision-making. Feasibility work and initial surveys have been progressing as part of the assessment of the site. The Home Office first informed MOD of a proposal to potentially use MOD Bicester for Asylum Accommodation in November 2025.
The Home Office engages with relevant Government departments, local authorities, emergency services, health partners and other statutory stakeholders where appropriate as proposals develop. Operational Working Groups and stakeholder engagement activity have already taken place with local partners to support consideration of the proposal.
Throughout the development of potential accommodation sites, information is managed in accordance with normal Government requirements, including obligations relating to security, commercial sensitivity, policy development and procurement activity where applicable.
The Home Office keeps its asylum accommodation estate under regular review and works across Government to identify potential accommodation options. Consideration of individual sites forms part of that ongoing process.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether contracts have been awarded to companies to undertake assessments of Site A at MoD Bicester in connection with proposals for its use as asylum accommodation; and on what date the first such contract was awarded.
Answered by Alex Norris - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
No final decision has been made regarding the use of Site A at MoD Bicester for asylum accommodation. The site remains subject to ongoing feasibility, planning, design, assurance and governance processes. The Home Office routinely undertakes due diligence when considering potential asylum accommodation sites, including assessments of suitability, deliverability, safety, security, planning considerations and impacts on local services and communities.
As part of this work, a range of surveys, inspections and technical assessments are undertaken as appropriate to inform decision-making. Feasibility work and initial surveys have been progressing as part of the assessment of the site. The Home Office first informed MOD of a proposal to potentially use MOD Bicester for Asylum Accommodation in November 2025.
The Home Office engages with relevant Government departments, local authorities, emergency services, health partners and other statutory stakeholders where appropriate as proposals develop. Operational Working Groups and stakeholder engagement activity have already taken place with local partners to support consideration of the proposal.
Throughout the development of potential accommodation sites, information is managed in accordance with normal Government requirements, including obligations relating to security, commercial sensitivity, policy development and procurement activity where applicable.
The Home Office keeps its asylum accommodation estate under regular review and works across Government to identify potential accommodation options. Consideration of individual sites forms part of that ongoing process.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which organisations, agencies and public bodies were consulted by her Department in connection with proposals for the use of Site A at MoD Bicester for asylum accommodation.
Answered by Alex Norris - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
No final decision has been made regarding the use of Site A at MoD Bicester for asylum accommodation. The site remains subject to ongoing feasibility, planning, design, assurance and governance processes. The Home Office routinely undertakes due diligence when considering potential asylum accommodation sites, including assessments of suitability, deliverability, safety, security, planning considerations and impacts on local services and communities.
As part of this work, a range of surveys, inspections and technical assessments are undertaken as appropriate to inform decision-making. Feasibility work and initial surveys have been progressing as part of the assessment of the site. The Home Office first informed MOD of a proposal to potentially use MOD Bicester for Asylum Accommodation in November 2025.
The Home Office engages with relevant Government departments, local authorities, emergency services, health partners and other statutory stakeholders where appropriate as proposals develop. Operational Working Groups and stakeholder engagement activity have already taken place with local partners to support consideration of the proposal.
Throughout the development of potential accommodation sites, information is managed in accordance with normal Government requirements, including obligations relating to security, commercial sensitivity, policy development and procurement activity where applicable.
The Home Office keeps its asylum accommodation estate under regular review and works across Government to identify potential accommodation options. Consideration of individual sites forms part of that ongoing process.