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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Planning Inspectorate has provided notice to Wealden District Council of a 21-day site notice under the Crown Development guidance in relation to the use of Crowborough Training Camp for asylum seeker accommodation.

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

The Planning Inspectorate can find no record of an application or appeal being made to it in relation to this development.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Planning Inspectorate has consulted Wealden District Council on the application to use the Crowborough Training Camp for asylum seeker accommodation.

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

The Planning Inspectorate has no record of receiving an application or appeal in relation to the site in question.

I otherwise refer the hon. Member to the answer given to question UIN 91420 on 20 November 2025.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether Wealden District Council has been consulted on the potential use of the expedited procedure for the Crowborough Training Camp for Asylum Seeker accommodation.

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

Discussions are underway to use the Crowborough site for asylum accommodation. 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.

As potential sites are identified and progressed for alternative asylum accommodation, a Stage Gate process, which builds on the lessons learned from the delivery of previous sites, is followed to ensure that any decisions made are informed by a comprehensive range of information. This includes, but isn’t limited to, site surveys and environmental audits.

The Home Office continues to engage regularly with representatives from the local authority, the NHS, the Police, and local partners, including via Multi Agency Forums pre-delivery and post-Go Live of the proposed site to address the concerns of those most impacted and to identify ways to keep them informed.

We will ensure that any development is safe, appropriate and compliant with the relevant planning regulations and processes where required.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on what dates her Department met with Wealden District Council to discuss the Crowborough Training Camp and asylum seeker accommodation.

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

Discussions are underway to use the Crowborough site for asylum accommodation. 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.

As potential sites are identified and progressed for alternative asylum accommodation, a Stage Gate process, which builds on the lessons learned from the delivery of previous sites, is followed to ensure that any decisions made are informed by a comprehensive range of information. This includes, but isn’t limited to, site surveys and environmental audits.

The Home Office continues to engage regularly with representatives from the local authority, the NHS, the Police, and local partners, including via Multi Agency Forums pre-delivery and post-Go Live of the proposed site to address the concerns of those most impacted and to identify ways to keep them informed.

We will ensure that any development is safe, appropriate and compliant with the relevant planning regulations and processes where required.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information she holds on the (a) documents, (b) information, and (c) evidence Wealden District Council has provided to the Planning Inspectorate in relation to local (i) planning and (ii) environmental considerations for the proposed asylum seeker accommodation at Crowborough Training Camp.

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

Discussions are underway to use the Crowborough site for asylum accommodation. 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.

As potential sites are identified and progressed for alternative asylum accommodation, a Stage Gate process, which builds on the lessons learned from the delivery of previous sites, is followed to ensure that any decisions made are informed by a comprehensive range of information. This includes, but isn’t limited to, site surveys and environmental audits.

The Home Office continues to engage regularly with representatives from the local authority, the NHS, the Police, and local partners, including via Multi Agency Forums pre-delivery and post-Go Live of the proposed site to address the concerns of those most impacted and to identify ways to keep them informed.

We will ensure that any development is safe, appropriate and compliant with the relevant planning regulations and processes where required.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information she holds on what (a) biodiversity net gain and (b) environmental impact assessment has been (i) sought and (ii) received by Wealden District Council in the context of the proposed accommodation for asylum seekers at Crowborough Training Camp.

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

Discussions are underway to use the Crowborough site for asylum accommodation. 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.

As potential sites are identified and progressed for alternative asylum accommodation, a Stage Gate process, which builds on the lessons learned from the delivery of previous sites, is followed to ensure that any decisions made are informed by a comprehensive range of information. This includes, but isn’t limited to, site surveys and environmental audits.

The Home Office continues to engage regularly with representatives from the local authority, the NHS, the Police, and local partners, including via Multi Agency Forums pre-delivery and post-Go Live of the proposed site to address the concerns of those most impacted and to identify ways to keep them informed.

We will ensure that any development is safe, appropriate and compliant with the relevant planning regulations and processes where required.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether Wealden District Council has received notice that the Crown intends to invoke the expedited procedure for nationally important development in relation to the Crowborough Training Camp and Asylum Seeker Accommodation.

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

Discussions are underway to use the Crowborough site for asylum accommodation. 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.

As potential sites are identified and progressed for alternative asylum accommodation, a Stage Gate process, which builds on the lessons learned from the delivery of previous sites, is followed to ensure that any decisions made are informed by a comprehensive range of information. This includes, but isn’t limited to, site surveys and environmental audits.

The Home Office continues to engage regularly with representatives from the local authority, the NHS, the Police, and local partners, including via Multi Agency Forums pre-delivery and post-Go Live of the proposed site to address the concerns of those most impacted and to identify ways to keep them informed.

We will ensure that any development is safe, appropriate and compliant with the relevant planning regulations and processes where required.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether Wealden District Council has been consulted under section 293C of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 in relation to a section 293B application for the use of Crowborough Training Camp for asylum seeker accommodation.

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

Discussions are underway to use the Crowborough site for asylum accommodation. 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.

As potential sites are identified and progressed for alternative asylum accommodation, a Stage Gate process, which builds on the lessons learned from the delivery of previous sites, is followed to ensure that any decisions made are informed by a comprehensive range of information. This includes, but isn’t limited to, site surveys and environmental audits.

The Home Office continues to engage regularly with representatives from the local authority, the NHS, the Police, and local partners, including via Multi Agency Forums pre-delivery and post-Go Live of the proposed site to address the concerns of those most impacted and to identify ways to keep them informed.

We will ensure that any development is safe, appropriate and compliant with the relevant planning regulations and processes where required.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Crown Casework Team has deemed the application on the Crowborough Training Camp and Asylum Seeker accommodation complete.

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

Discussions are underway to use the Crowborough site for asylum accommodation. 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.

As potential sites are identified and progressed for alternative asylum accommodation, a Stage Gate process, which builds on the lessons learned from the delivery of previous sites, is followed to ensure that any decisions made are informed by a comprehensive range of information. This includes, but isn’t limited to, site surveys and environmental audits.

The Home Office continues to engage regularly with representatives from the local authority, the NHS, the Police, and local partners, including via Multi Agency Forums pre-delivery and post-Go Live of the proposed site to address the concerns of those most impacted and to identify ways to keep them informed.

We will ensure that any development is safe, appropriate and compliant with the relevant planning regulations and processes where required.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether Wealden District Council has made representations to her Department on the applicability of the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations 2017 to the Crowborough Training Camp proposal for Asylum Seeker accommodation.

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

Discussions are underway to use the Crowborough site for asylum accommodation. 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.

As potential sites are identified and progressed for alternative asylum accommodation, a Stage Gate process, which builds on the lessons learned from the delivery of previous sites, is followed to ensure that any decisions made are informed by a comprehensive range of information. This includes, but isn’t limited to, site surveys and environmental audits.

The Home Office continues to engage regularly with representatives from the local authority, the NHS, the Police, and local partners, including via Multi Agency Forums pre-delivery and post-Go Live of the proposed site to address the concerns of those most impacted and to identify ways to keep them informed.

We will ensure that any development is safe, appropriate and compliant with the relevant planning regulations and processes where required.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether Natural England, the Environment Agency and other statutory consultees have been consulted in relation to the proposed development at the Crowborough Training Camp for Asylum Seeker accommodation.

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

Discussions are underway to use the Crowborough site for asylum accommodation. 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.

As potential sites are identified and progressed for alternative asylum accommodation, a Stage Gate process, which builds on the lessons learned from the delivery of previous sites, is followed to ensure that any decisions made are informed by a comprehensive range of information. This includes, but isn’t limited to, site surveys and environmental audits.

The Home Office continues to engage regularly with representatives from the local authority, the NHS, the Police, and local partners, including via Multi Agency Forums pre-delivery and post-Go Live of the proposed site to address the concerns of those most impacted and to identify ways to keep them informed.

We will ensure that any development is safe, appropriate and compliant with the relevant planning regulations and processes where required.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will publish the modelling, estimates or projections for the numbers of offenders that will be immediately eligible for release post the introduction of the changes to the automatic release points as part of the Sentencing Bill 2025; and to include a breakdown of any such modelling, estimates or projections by offence and release numbers by individual days.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

As set out in the Sentencing Bill Impact Assessment, the Bill will ensure that the country has sufficient prison places by reducing demand by 7,500 places in 2028. The Bill will help ensure that the Criminal Justice System can continue to function with arrests and court trials continuing to go ahead, so avoiding a breakdown of law and order. The public will continue to be protected from the most serious offenders by ensuring prison places are available.

We are working across agencies to prepare and plan for implementation of the changes, and this Government is committed to ensuring that measures impacting sentencing and release are introduced safely, transparently and in a way that protects the public.

Release volumes for current prisoners will depend on whether they are subject to any ongoing criminal investigations or charges and therefore any additional sentences handed down by the Courts, and whether they are given added days for bad behaviour.

Around 17,000 prisoners are entirely excluded from the release point changes being brought forward in the Sentencing Bill.

The Ministry of Justice routinely publishes Accredited Official Statistics on prisoner releases as part of the Offender Management Statistics Quarterly (OMSQ) publication.