Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 13 October 2025 to Question 77304 on Multiple Occupation: Migrants, how many asylum seekers have been moved from hotels to houses of multiple occupation in the last year.

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

The Home Office does not publish data on moves within the asylum accommodation estate.

Data, published quarterly, on the number of supported asylum seekers in accommodation, including accommodation type, can be found within the Asy_D11 tab of our most recent statistics release. Immigration system statistics data tables - www.gov.uk/government/collections/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the cost to the public purse was of payments to Stay Belvedere Hotels for asylum accommodation in the last 12 months.

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

Stay Belvedere Homes Limited (SBHL) was not contracted directly by the Home Office to provide asylum accommodation. They were a subcontractor to Clearsprings Ready Homes until the Home Office asked that SBHL be removed from the supply chain.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the letter from the Minister for Border Security & Asylum to the Home Affairs Select Committee of 8 October 2025, if she will publish the full specification and services offered under Changing Lives.

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

Simply Active Group CIC (formerly Changing Lives Limited) is contracted to deliver a structured programme of recreational activities for Service Users at Wethersfield. These activities include three days of on-site sports provision between the hours of 11.00am and 4.00pm. A varied rota of a minimum of four activity sessions per day is provided.

Further details related to this contract are publicly available: Recreational Activity Provision - Contracts Finder. The contract has been extended with services now extended to February 2026.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 13 October 2025 to Question 77304 on Multiple Occupation: Migrants, whether her Department (a) collates data on which individual houses of multiple occupation are used to house asylum seekers and (b) holds data on the number of those HMOs, broken down by local authority.

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

I refer the Honourable Member to the answer provided in PQ 77304.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 20 October 2025 to Question 78583, on Immigration: English Language, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of making it a requirement of anyone being granted asylum to subsequently learn English to continue (a) residing and (b) receiving benefits.

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

Successfully integrating refugees is a Government priority. The ability to speak and understand English is a key factor in successful integration, allowing refugees to become active contributors to the communities in which they live.

The Immigration White Paper set out plans to increase language requirements for most routes to B2 level at settlement stage, as well as the intention to consult on wider settlement reform later this year. These changes will impact the requirements for people who wish to reside in the UK and have access to public funds through settlement.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the letter from the Minister for Border Security & Asylum to the Home Affairs Select Committee of 8 October 2025, if she will publish each Service User Demand Plan.

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

The Service User Demand Plans are not published. The Home Office publishes information about asylum seekers across the UK quarterly here Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of local authorities provide (a) private and (b) social housing for asylum seekers.

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

The Home Office continues to work closely with local authorities to manage all the pressures arising from the provision of asylum accommodation including the impact on wider LA obligations and plans.

Data, published quarterly, on the number of supported asylum seekers in accommodation can be found within the Asy_D11 tab for our most recent statistics release. The data can also be broken down by region and by local authority. Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much her Department has spent on dental care for asylum seekers in hotels in the last year; and whether asylum seekers have access to free dental care.

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

Information on asylum expenditure is published in the Home Office Annual Report and Accounts at Home Office annual reports and accounts - GOV.UK.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 8 September 2025, to Question 71461, on Asylum: Housing, what steps do (a) her Department and (b) its contractors follow if a local authority objects to specific asylum accommodation; and if he will set out the (i) circumstances and (ii) criteria that (A) her Department and (B) its contractors may disregard such an objection.

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

Our contracted providers consult with local authorities on every Dispersal Accommodation bedspace before it is procured with the relevant local authority. If the local authority and provider do not agree, the Home Office reviews it and considers the evidence that the local authority has put forward. This is to ensure procurement is undertaken in a proportionate manner that allows us to consider the impact on local areas.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance her Department has issued to its contractors on the methdology that should be used to determine the number of bedrooms that should be provided to asylum seekers with children.

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

The Home Office expects the highest standards from accommodation providers. A detailed breakdown of all of the services to be undertaken by accommodation providers and the standards we expect can be found in the Asylum Accommodation and Support Services Contracts (AASC) Statement of Requirements: http://data.parliament.uk/DepositedPapers/Files/DEP2018-1112/AASC_-_Schedule_2_-_Statement_of_Requirements.pdf

All Accommodation must comply with the relevant standards for Accommodation defined in Annex B, and the rules relating to sharing and relocations defined in Annex C of this Schedule 2.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the letter from the Minister for Border Security & Asylum to the Home Affairs Select Committee, if she will publish a copy of the accommodation strategy that is now in the delivery phase.

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

This Government have committed to exit hotels as soon as possible and by the end of this Parliament. We are looking at a range of more appropriate sites including disused accommodation, industrial and ex-military sites so we can reduce the impact on communities.

We are further investing £500 million in a new, more sustainable accommodation model, developed in consultation with local authorities. The fund will support local authorities to make available basic alternative accommodation that can be used on a temporary basis to house asylum seekers. In the longer term, the ambition is that the investment leaves a lasting legacy of housing for local communities and reduces pressure on local housing markets.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 10 September 2025 to Question 71464 on Asylum: Housing, if she will publish the amount allocated to each individual local authority from (a) Grant 7 and (b) Grant 6 programmes for asylum in the 2024-25 financial year.

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

I refer the Honourable Member to the answer provided in PQ 71464.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 8 July 2025 to Question 63031 on Asylum: Private Rented Housing, if she will publish her Department's (a) policies and (b) internal guidance on assessing the suitability of a local area for asylum accommodation.

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

Dispersed Accommodation is procured under the Accommodation and Support Contracts (AASC). The AASC are published and set out our requirements for the sourcing and procurement of accommodation, including how providers should work and consult with local authorities on a range of issues, from pressure on services, to security and the impact on the wider community.

You can find information about specific Home Office contracts using the Contracts Finder, which can be found here: Contracts Finder - gov.uk.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish all the written evidence submitted by the Government to the court on the Epping Forest Bell Hotel hearings.

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

No, the Secretary of State will not publish written evidence submitted by the Government in the hearing relating to the Bell Inn Hotel, Epping. The Secretary of State’s evidence was presented to the court during the trial. After the trial, non-parties may apply to the court for permission to obtain copies of the witness evidence.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to his Department's press release entitled, Communities to seize control over high streets and restore pride, by what mechanism will his Department block (a) vapes stores and (b) fake barbers.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Government’s Pride in Place strategy sets out how we are giving communities the tools to drive improvements on their high streets. These include powers to auction leases of long-term vacant properties, which will provide opportunities for councils to cultivate a more diverse high street offering, as well as streamlined compulsory purchase order powers, and a new community right to buy valued local assets.

Enforcement against rogue traders, such as fake barbers, is being strengthened through enhanced checks by Companies House and coordinated national enforcement. The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will ban the advertising and sponsorship of vaping and nicotine products and provide powers for ministers to introduce a licensing scheme for the retail sale of tobacco, vaping, and nicotine products.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether any changes have been made to the (a) government funding and (b) funding profile for the Eden North project following the decision to cancel the Levelling Up Fund.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The MHCLG Levelling Up Fund, Town Deals, and Simplification Pathfinder Pilot have been consolidated into the Local Regeneration Fund.

There have been no changes to government funding and no changes to the funding profile, since the MoU was fully signed in November 2024.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 23 October 2025 to Question 78206 on Housing: Asylum, over what period of time the £500 million is allocated; and whether the basic alternative accommodation will involve the utilisation of existing (a) social and (b) private rented housing.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 78206 on 23 October 2025 and the answer to Question UIN 78187 on 20 October 2025. We continue to engage with local government on options for design of the fund and the best way to deliver this accommodation in different areas. We will confirm further details in due course.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 11 June 2025 to Question 56831 on Planning Permission, and to the Answer of 7 July 2025 to Question HL8773, on Chinese Embassy: Planning Permission, if he will (a) list and (b) publish each of the post-inquiry representations that have been made since the ending of the Planning Inspectorate’s public inquiry.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Post-inquiry representations are routinely listed at the end of the final decision letter and are available on request once the decision letter has issued.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 20 October 2025, to Question 78294 on Admiralty House: Council Tax, what council tax (a) discounts, (b) premiums, (c) exemptions and (d) disregards, were claimed for and applied to each of the three Admiralty House dwellings (i) between July 2024 to March 2025 and (ii) since 1 April 2025.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

Council tax discount, exemption, disregard and premiums billing for Admiralty House are determined by the Local Authority. In this instance, this would be Westminster City Council.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Written Statement of 23 October 2025 on Housing Delivery, HCWS991, whether the £322 million City Hall Developer Investment Fund is additional government funding or from the existing Spending Review settlement for the Greater London Authority; and what is the estimated number of dwellings it will support.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The initial allocation of £322 million to establish the City Hall Developer Investment Fund comes from capital grant funding for land and infrastructure delivered through the new National Housing Delivery Fund announced at the June 2025 Spending Review.

The fund will enable the Mayor of London to take a more direct and interventionist role in unlocking new homes in the capital.

We are currently negotiating and agreeing an integrated settlement outcomes framework with the Greater London Authority which will agree their targets for delivery.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 16 September 2025 to Question 75606 on Community Development: English Language, what estimate she has made of the cost to her Department for providing English language support to people in (a) 2024-25 and (b) 2025-26.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Home Office has invested in programmes to facilitate refugees’ access to English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) provision.

The ESOL Childcare Fund provided support for individuals resettled under the UK Resettlement Scheme, the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme and the Afghan Relocations and Assistance policy, to enable participation in ESOL classes. In 2024-25, we allocated £1.8 million to this fund. This programme closed at the end of the 2024-25 financial year.

The ESOL Coordinator function provides a co-ordinated approach to English language across Strategic Migration Partnership (SMP) regions. We provide a grant of £30,000 to 12 SMP regions to fund this role. For 2024-25 and 2025-26, £360,000 was granted per year under this programme.

The Home Office developed the STEP Ahead programme, which ran from October 2024 – March 2025, to test an innovative intensive digital approach to delivering English language training and employment support to refugees. We allocated £700,000 to this programme in the 2024-25 financial year.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has issued guidance to local authorities on the (a) civil and (b) criminal penalties for avoidance of paying the second homes council tax premium.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Councils have a range of powers available to them to recover any type of unpaid council tax, including council tax premiums. The government has recently consulted on modernising and improving the administration of council tax which seeks views on how council tax is collected and enforced. The government will publish its response to the consultation in due course.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much and what percentage of total research expenditure has been spent on research into (a) Giloma, (b) Glioblastoma, (c) Astrocytoma, (d) DIPG and (e) DMG brain tumour types in the last decade.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Research is crucial in tackling cancer, which is why the Department invests over £1.6 billion each year on research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Cancer is one of NIHR’s largest areas of spend at over £133 million in 2023/24, reflecting its high priority.

Between 2018/19 and 2023/24, the NIHR directly invested £11.8 million in research projects focused on brain tumours. These investments are pivotal towards efforts to improve cancer prevention, treatment and outcomes. Data for 2024/25 is not yet available.

The following table shows the percentage of research expenditure invested on specific cancer subtypes for the period 2014/15 to 2024/25:

In addition, the NIHR’s wider investments in research infrastructure, for instance facilities, services, and the research workforce, are estimated to be £37.5 million, supporting the delivery of 261 brain tumour research studies and enabling over 11,400 people to participate in potentially life-changing brain tumour research in the National Health Service.

Working with stakeholders from across the research community, in September 2024 NIHR launched a package of support to stimulate high-quality research applications through:

i. establishing a national Brain Tumour Research Consortium to bring together researchers from different disciplines to drive scientific advancements in how to prevent, detect, manage and treat brain tumours;

ii. a dedicated funding call for research into wraparound care and rehabilitation for people living with brain tumours; and

iii. a partnership with the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission to fund the next generation of researchers through the Allied Health Professionals Brain Tumour Research Fellowship programme.

The NIHR funds research in response to proposals received from scientists rather than allocating funding to specific disease areas in advance. The level of research spend in a particular area is driven by factors including scientific potential and the number and scale of successful funding applications. NIHR continues to welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including all cancer types.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to allow unitary councils to expand their size into current two-tier areas.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Government is committed to ending two-tier local government in England in this Parliament.

On 5 February 2025, the Government invited two-tier authorities and their neighbouring small unitary authorities to develop proposals for unitary local government. Final proposals from councils must specify the area for any new unitary council(s). If a boundary change is part of any final proposal, then it should be clear on the boundary proposed. Boundary changes are possible, but existing district areas should be considered the building blocks for proposals. More complex boundary changes will only be considered where there is a strong justification. Decisions on the most appropriate option for each area will be judgements in the round, having regard to the statutory guidance and the available evidence.

The Local Government Boundary Commission for England has paused all electoral reviews in areas that have been invited to submit proposals for local government reorganisation. My Department is liaising closely with the Commission so that they are involved at the appropriate time to ensure fair electoral arrangements across the area of any new unitary local authority.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether Local Government Boundary Commission boundary reviews have been (a) paused and (b) terminated because of potential unitary local government restructuring.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Government is committed to ending two-tier local government in England in this Parliament.

On 5 February 2025, the Government invited two-tier authorities and their neighbouring small unitary authorities to develop proposals for unitary local government. Final proposals from councils must specify the area for any new unitary council(s). If a boundary change is part of any final proposal, then it should be clear on the boundary proposed. Boundary changes are possible, but existing district areas should be considered the building blocks for proposals. More complex boundary changes will only be considered where there is a strong justification. Decisions on the most appropriate option for each area will be judgements in the round, having regard to the statutory guidance and the available evidence.

The Local Government Boundary Commission for England has paused all electoral reviews in areas that have been invited to submit proposals for local government reorganisation. My Department is liaising closely with the Commission so that they are involved at the appropriate time to ensure fair electoral arrangements across the area of any new unitary local authority.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2025 to Question 71459 on Counter-terrorism: Finance, how much was allocated to each local authority in the (a) 2024-25 and (b) 2025-26 financial years.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

All Local Authorities in England, Scotland and Wales receive dedicated support from the Home Office to deliver the Prevent duty effectively and in proportion to the risk and threat.

This support includes expertise from a network of region-based Home Office Prevent Advisers who work closely with partners to raise Prevent delivery standards. Prevent Advisers also deliver an annual assurance exercise, assessing the extent to which local authorities are meeting the Prevent duty and identifying areas for further support and improvement.

In addition, all local authorities have access to the Preventing Radicalisation Fund. This supports the delivery of targeted Prevent projects, that aim to identify and mitigate local radicalisation risks.

Currently, the 28 highest threat areas in England and Wales receive Home Office Prevent funding to help them to go above and beyond the requirements of the Prevent duty. This funding supports the provision of dedicated Prevent posts in these local authorities. Some of these local authorities also receive additional funding to support regional working and share their Prevent expertise with other neighbouring local authorities.

The Home Office is projected to provide up to £6,000,000 of funding to local authorities under the Prevent programme for the current financial year 2025-26. This excludes funding for project delivery that is provided through the Prevent Radicalisation Fund.

In financial years 2024-25 the Home Office provided £6,008,271.63 of funding to 30 local authorities under the Prevent programme for dedicated Prevent posts.

An addition to the funding for dedicated Prevent posts within local authorities, the Home Office provided £2,365,309.72 of funding for Prevent project delivery for all local authorities in the financial year 2024-2025, through the Preventing Radicalisation Fund. For the financial year 2025-2026, the Home Office is projected to provide £1,877,378.99 for Prevent project delivery funding.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2025 to Question 71459 on Counter-terrorism: Finance, how much was given to each council in (a) 2024-25 and (b) 2025-26.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

All Local Authorities in England, Scotland and Wales receive dedicated support from the Home Office to deliver the Prevent duty effectively and in proportion to the risk and threat.

This support includes expertise from a network of region-based Home Office Prevent Advisers who work closely with partners to raise Prevent delivery standards. Prevent Advisers also deliver an annual assurance exercise, assessing the extent to which local authorities are meeting the Prevent duty and identifying areas for further support and improvement.

In addition, all local authorities have access to the Preventing Radicalisation Fund. This supports the delivery of targeted Prevent projects, that aim to identify and mitigate local radicalisation risks.

Currently, the 28 highest threat areas in England and Wales receive Home Office Prevent funding to help them to go above and beyond the requirements of the Prevent duty. This funding supports the provision of dedicated Prevent posts in these local authorities. Some of these local authorities also receive additional funding to support regional working and share their Prevent expertise with other neighbouring local authorities.

The Home Office is projected to provide up to £6,000,000 of funding to local authorities under the Prevent programme for the current financial year 2025-26. This excludes funding for project delivery that is provided through the Prevent Radicalisation Fund.

In financial years 2024-25 the Home Office provided £6,008,271.63 of funding to 30 local authorities under the Prevent programme for dedicated Prevent posts.

An addition to the funding for dedicated Prevent posts within local authorities, the Home Office provided £2,365,309.72 of funding for Prevent project delivery for all local authorities in the financial year 2024-2025, through the Preventing Radicalisation Fund. For the financial year 2025-2026, the Home Office is projected to provide £1,877,378.99 for Prevent project delivery funding.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether Wealden District Council has raised legal objections to the use of Crowborough Training Camp to house asylum seekers.

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

We do not comment on legal matters, however all sites progressed for asylum accommodation will comply with safety, security, health and wellbeing standards. This government will close every asylum hotel. Work is well underway, with more suitable sites being brought forward to ease pressure on communities across the country.