Asked by: Kate Osamor (Independent - Edmonton)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to The Houses in Multiple Occupation (Asylum-Seeker Accommodation) (England) Regulations 2023, what assessment she has made of the suitability of deregulating housing provisions for properties that accommodate asylum seekers; and for what reason this measure applies only to asylum seeker accommodation.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
This is a temporary exemption to support our delivery of new accommodation places for asylum seekers, while we make productivity improvements that will reduce the number of individuals who are supported.
We are not deregulating housing provisions for asylum seekers, and we continue to work closely with providers to ensure we meet standards set in the Housing Act 1985 and the European Convention on Human Rights.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Independent - Edmonton)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Houses in Multiple Occupation (Asylum-Seeker Accommodation) (England) Regulations 2023, what assessment her Department has made of the impact of those regulations on (a) potential savings for Government contractors and (b) costs incurred by local authorities.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
We recognise that Local Authorities incur costs by providing services and wraparound support to asylum seekers. That is why we introduced grant funding to Local Authorities last year, to recognise their financial contribution. This amounted to £3,500 per new dispersed bedspace delivered, and we are trialling an increase in funding of up to £6,500 per new bedspace this year.
We assess that this change will deliver significant savings for the taxpayer as it will support Government contractors to provide alternative accommodation to hotels.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Independent - Edmonton)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to The Houses in Multiple Occupation (Asylum-Seeker Accommodation) (England) Regulations 2023, whether her Department plans to introduce safeguards to mitigate against asylum seeker accommodation becoming potentially (a) overcrowded, (b) unsafe or (c) uninhabitable.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
We remain committed to providing accommodation that is safe and meets housing standards set out in the Housing Act 1985. Asylum accommodation contracts contain rigorous requirements on property standards, including fixtures and safety features that providers must deliver.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Independent - Edmonton)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to The Houses in Multiple Occupation (Asylum-Seeker Accommodation) (England) Regulations 2023, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of those regulations on the well-being of asylum seekers.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
We continue to work closely with providers to ensure that asylum seekers’ wellbeing needs are met. Asylum accommodation contracts contain rigorous requirements on property standards, including fixtures and safety fittings that providers must deliver, and reasonable adjustments for disabilities and mental health requirements.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Independent - Edmonton)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 6 March 2023 to Question 159040 on Asylum: Housing; how many incidents accommodation providers reported to the asylum accommodation and support contracts high profile notification team in customer services in each year since 2022.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The High Profile Notification (HPN) team records and holds details of any act or incident reported by providers involving asylum support service users, asylum support accommodation premises or asylum support service providers that as a consequence of the act or incident, one or more of the following could apply:
The HPN team records details of incidents reported by providers that cover the following categories:
These figures are not available in a reportable format and providing information could only be done at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Independent - Edmonton)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 6 March 2023 to Question 159040 on Asylum: Housing; whether the Asylum Accommodation and Support Contracts High Profile Notification team holds information on of the number of incidents reported by each accommodation provider.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The High Profile Notification (HPN) team records and holds details of any act or incident reported by providers involving asylum support service users, asylum support accommodation premises or asylum support service providers that as a consequence of the act or incident, one or more of the following could apply:
The HPN team records details of incidents reported by providers that cover the following categories:
These figures are not available in a reportable format and providing information could only be done at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Independent - Edmonton)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 6 March 2023 to Question 159040 on Asylum: Housing; what type of incidents accommodation providers are required to report to the Asylum Accommodation and Support Contracts High Profile Notification team.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The High Profile Notification (HPN) team records and holds details of any act or incident reported by providers involving asylum support service users, asylum support accommodation premises or asylum support service providers that as a consequence of the act or incident, one or more of the following could apply:
The HPN team records details of incidents reported by providers that cover the following categories:
These figures are not available in a reportable format and providing information could only be done at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Independent - Edmonton)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 22 March 2023 to Question 165397 on Asylum: Housing, how many concerns have been raised through the Advice, Issue Reporting and Eligibility service in each month since it was set up; and how much compensation has been paid to her Department for failures in service performance in each of those months.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
Costs are subject to change depending on numbers being accommodated within the asylum system. Accommodation costs are considered to be commercially confidential. Therefore, the Home Office does not publish this information. However, total expenditure on asylum is published in the Home Office Annual Report and Accounts, available at Home Office annual report and accounts: 2021 to 2022 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
Robust compliance and governance protocols exist to ensure daily engagement is undertaken with our service providers by Home Office officials to ensure and assure that the providers’ operational delivery and overall performance consistently meet the required standards. If any issues are identified providers are required to take immediate action to address and recover accordingly.
The Home Office has published Key Performance Indicator statistics covering the contractual obligations accommodation providers and others working in the asylum sector are required to deliver. This has been done since April 2020. This data is available at Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for government’s most important contracts - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
All asylum seekers have access to a 24/7 Advice, Issues Reporting and Eligibility (AIRE) service provided for the Home Office by Migrant Help where they can raise any concerns regarding accommodation or support services, and they can get information about how to obtain further support. As the data controller the Home Office are best placed to provide comprehensive responses to the requests of MPs. Should an MP approach Migrant Help directly, rather than the MPs correspondence team. Migrant help will refer these requests to the appropriate MPs team to investigate and respond.
It would be inappropriate to comment on commercial arrangements with suppliers. All Home Office commercial contracts are designed to ensure the best value for taxpayers and the Home Office closely monitors its contractor’s performance, including financial results. Any profits above the agreed contractual margins comes back to the Home Office.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Independent - Edmonton)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 22 March 2023 to Question 165397 on Asylum: Housing, what the cost to the public purse of the Advice, Issue Reporting and Eligibility (AIRE) service was in the last year; and what assessment she has made of the AIRE service's performance against its objectives.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
Costs are subject to change depending on numbers being accommodated within the asylum system. Accommodation costs are considered to be commercially confidential. Therefore, the Home Office does not publish this information. However, total expenditure on asylum is published in the Home Office Annual Report and Accounts, available at Home Office annual report and accounts: 2021 to 2022 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
Robust compliance and governance protocols exist to ensure daily engagement is undertaken with our service providers by Home Office officials to ensure and assure that the providers’ operational delivery and overall performance consistently meet the required standards. If any issues are identified providers are required to take immediate action to address and recover accordingly.
The Home Office has published Key Performance Indicator statistics covering the contractual obligations accommodation providers and others working in the asylum sector are required to deliver. This has been done since April 2020. This data is available at Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for government’s most important contracts - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
All asylum seekers have access to a 24/7 Advice, Issues Reporting and Eligibility (AIRE) service provided for the Home Office by Migrant Help where they can raise any concerns regarding accommodation or support services, and they can get information about how to obtain further support. As the data controller the Home Office are best placed to provide comprehensive responses to the requests of MPs. Should an MP approach Migrant Help directly, rather than the MPs correspondence team. Migrant help will refer these requests to the appropriate MPs team to investigate and respond.
It would be inappropriate to comment on commercial arrangements with suppliers. All Home Office commercial contracts are designed to ensure the best value for taxpayers and the Home Office closely monitors its contractor’s performance, including financial results. Any profits above the agreed contractual margins comes back to the Home Office.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Independent - Edmonton)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 22 March 2023 to Question 165397 on Asylum: Housing, how much the Advice, Issue Reporting and Eligibility service costs; and what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of its delivery.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
Costs are subject to change depending on numbers being accommodated within the asylum system. Accommodation costs are considered to be commercially confidential. Therefore, the Home Office does not publish this information. However, total expenditure on asylum is published in the Home Office Annual Report and Accounts, available at Home Office annual report and accounts: 2021 to 2022 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
Robust compliance and governance protocols exist to ensure daily engagement is undertaken with our service providers by Home Office officials to ensure and assure that the providers’ operational delivery and overall performance consistently meet the required standards. If any issues are identified providers are required to take immediate action to address and recover accordingly.
The Home Office has published Key Performance Indicator statistics covering the contractual obligations accommodation providers and others working in the asylum sector are required to deliver. This has been done since April 2020. This data is available at Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for government’s most important contracts - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
All asylum seekers have access to a 24/7 Advice, Issues Reporting and Eligibility (AIRE) service provided for the Home Office by Migrant Help where they can raise any concerns regarding accommodation or support services, and they can get information about how to obtain further support. As the data controller the Home Office are best placed to provide comprehensive responses to the requests of MPs. Should an MP approach Migrant Help directly, rather than the MPs correspondence team. Migrant help will refer these requests to the appropriate MPs team to investigate and respond.
It would be inappropriate to comment on commercial arrangements with suppliers. All Home Office commercial contracts are designed to ensure the best value for taxpayers and the Home Office closely monitors its contractor’s performance, including financial results. Any profits above the agreed contractual margins comes back to the Home Office.