Oral Answers to Questions

Esther McVey Excerpts

Monday 22nd November 2021 Commons Chamber

The Secretary of State was asked—

[Esther McVey (Tatton) (Con)]

1. What plans she has for hotels used by her Department to accommodate asylum seekers.

[The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Priti Patel)]

The Department has long-term plans and proposals to change the way we accommodate asylum seekers.

[Esther McVey]

Residents of Tatton are concerned about the ongoing nature of supposedly temporary accommodation for immigrants who arrive in the local area. Some hotels are becoming full-time immigration centres and those residing there are in limbo in our town centres. What is the timescale for processing these individuals and for reverting the accommodation back into hotels?

[Priti Patel]

My right hon. Friend is absolutely right in her comments. Through changes linked to the new plan for immigration we will end the use of hotel accommodation for asylum seekers, which was a result of the pandemic—we had to take decisive action to ensure that those seeking asylum in the UK were protected under covid measures. It was a short-term solution and the new plan for immigration includes long-term changes in the offing for asylum accommodation.