Asked by: Chris Philp (Conservative - Croydon South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact on the welfare of military families living in accommodation next to the Cameron Barracks, in light of the site now being used as asylum accommodation.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
Consideration of this site is ongoing and any final decision to utilise any site for the intended purposes will be made once the relevant factors have been properly considered.
The Home Office continues to engage regularly with representatives from the local authority, NHS, Police, and other local partners – via an Operational Working Group in addition to bi-lateral conversations.
Safety and security of residents, staff and the neighbouring community will remain central to any decisions. We will ensure that any development is safe, appropriate, and compliant with planning regulations.
Asked by: Chris Philp (Conservative - Croydon South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what formal process has been followed regarding the change of use of the Cameron Barracks.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
Consideration of this site is ongoing and any final decision to utilise any site for the intended purposes will be made once the relevant factors have been properly considered.
The Home Office continues to engage regularly with representatives from the local authority, NHS, Police, and other local partners – via an Operational Working Group in addition to bi-lateral conversations.
Safety and security of residents, staff and the neighbouring community will remain central to any decisions. We will ensure that any development is safe, appropriate, and compliant with planning regulations.
Asked by: Chris Philp (Conservative - Croydon South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the cost of providing recreational activities and health services to asylum seekers at the Cameron barracks.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
Consideration of this site is ongoing and any final decision to utilise any site for the intended purposes will be made once the relevant factors have been properly considered.
The Home Office continues to engage regularly with representatives from the local authority, NHS, Police, and other local partners – via an Operational Working Group in addition to bi-lateral conversations.
Safety and security of residents, staff and the neighbouring community will remain central to any decisions. We will ensure that any development is safe, appropriate, and compliant with planning regulations.
Asked by: Chris Philp (Conservative - Croydon South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to engage with local communities in Inverness, in light of the decision to use the Cameron barracks as asylum accommodation.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
Consideration of this site is ongoing and any final decision to utilise any site for the intended purposes will be made once the relevant factors have been properly considered.
The Home Office continues to engage regularly with representatives from the local authority, NHS, Police, and other local partners – via an Operational Working Group in addition to bi-lateral conversations.
Safety and security of residents, staff and the neighbouring community will remain central to any decisions. We will ensure that any development is safe, appropriate, and compliant with planning regulations.
Asked by: Chris Philp (Conservative - Croydon South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether asylum seekers at the Cameron barracks will have access to publicly-funded therapists.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
Consideration of this site is ongoing and any final decision to utilise any site for the intended purposes will be made once the relevant factors have been properly considered.
The Home Office continues to engage regularly with representatives from the local authority, NHS, Police, and other local partners – via an Operational Working Group in addition to bi-lateral conversations.
Safety and security of residents, staff and the neighbouring community will remain central to any decisions. We will ensure that any development is safe, appropriate, and compliant with planning regulations.
Asked by: Chris Philp (Conservative - Croydon South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many times have Ministers, officials or Cairo Embassy staff raise the topic of Alaa Abh El-Fattah with the Government of Egypt since 5 July 2025.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Rt Hon Member appears to be under the false impression that the campaign for Mr El-Fattah's release began just six months ago.
In fact, the FCDO first raised Mr El-Fattah's case following his initial conviction in June 2014, a full eleven years before the date mentioned by the Rt Hon Member, and successive governments gave him consular support and made it a priority to argue for his release after he was granted British citizenship in 2021.
If the Rt Hon Member shares the Government's determination to address the information failures exposed by this case, as set out in my statement to the House on 5 January, then it does him no credit to pretend that these same information failures did not also exist under the government in which he served.
Asked by: Chris Philp (Conservative - Croydon South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many meetings Ministers have had on the topic of Alaa Abh El-Fattah since 5 July 2025.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Rt Hon Member appears to be under the false impression that the campaign for Mr El-Fattah's release began just six months ago.
In fact, the FCDO first raised Mr El-Fattah's case following his initial conviction in June 2014, a full eleven years before the date mentioned by the Rt Hon Member, and successive governments gave him consular support and made it a priority to argue for his release after he was granted British citizenship in 2021.
If the Rt Hon Member shares the Government's determination to address the information failures exposed by this case, as set out in my statement to the House on 5 January, then it does him no credit to pretend that these same information failures did not also exist under the government in which he served.
Asked by: Chris Philp (Conservative - Croydon South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has received any legal notices, pre-action correspondence and letters before action from Wealden District Council on the proposed use of the Crowborough Training Camp.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office has received a Planning Contravention Notice from Wealden District Council regarding Crowborough. We have not received any pre-action protocol letters or letters before action from Wealden District Council.
Asked by: Chris Philp (Conservative - Croydon South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish the minutes of meetings between her Department and Wealden District Council on the proposed use of the Crowborough Training Camp to accommodate asylum seekers.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office engages regularly with Wealden District Council regarding Crowborough Training Camp. The department does not routinely publish minutes of such meetings.
Asked by: Chris Philp (Conservative - Croydon South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when asylum seekers are expected to be accommodated at the Crowborough Training Camp.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
We are continuing to assess the feasibility of the Crowborough site. No final decision has been made, and as such no arrival date for service users has been confirmed.