Lord German

Ukrainian family members, including children, are not prevented from entering the UK. The Homes for Ukraine Scheme remains open to new applicants, their applications must be sponsored by someone who is British, Irish or who has settled status.

Ukrainians who meet the eligibility criteria can also join family members through standard visa or family routes. More information can be found on Gov.uk at: https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration.

Our Ukraine schemes are kept under continual review as we look to provide stability both for those we have welcomed to the UK and those who still need our sanctuary.

Individuals identified for the site are subject to a suitability assessment.

Each individual’s welfare is regularly checked to identify any concerns which may affect their suitability and to facilitate appropriate referrals and sign posting for support as needed.

The site has on-site primary healthcare delivered by a local healthcare provider Monday to Friday. This is run by healthcare professionals, a doctor and nurses, who offer health assessments and are able to prescribe medication.

There is also a welfare facility with welfare officers available 24/7.

All asylum seekers can contact Migrant Help 24 hours a day, 365 days a year if they need help, advice, or guidance, that includes raising issues relating to safeguarding. From 16 June 2024, Migrant Help have been offering face-to-face appointments to asylum seekers on site across 3 days allowing them to raise any questions that they may have on any matter.

Subject to any individual assessments, the maximum length of stay for individual asylum seekers accommodated on site is 9 months, except where the Secretary of State is unable to find suitable onward dispersed accommodation despite reasonable efforts to do so.

Occupancy at the Wethersfield site is currently capped at 580 as part of the Special Development Order. This means that during current operation of the site, the population will not exceed 580.

Once the relevant Special Development Order conditions have been discharged, regular occupancy will be capped at 800.

The number of residents on the site at any one time is likely to vary due to a number of factors, including individuals having moved to onward dispersed accommodation while their claims are being considered.

The site has on-site primary healthcare delivered by a local healthcare provider Monday to Friday. This is run by healthcare professionals, a doctor and nurses, who offer systematic health assessments and are able to prescribe medication.

There is also a welfare facility and an accredited mental health nurse on site.

Occupancy at the Wethersfield site is currently capped at 580 as part of the Special Development Order. This means that during current operation of the site, the population will not exceed 580.

Once the relevant Special Development Order conditions have been discharged, regular occupancy will be capped at 800.

The number of residents on the site at any one time is likely to vary due to a number of factors, including individuals having moved to onward dispersed accommodation while their claims are being considered.

The site has on-site primary healthcare delivered by a local healthcare provider Monday to Friday. This is run by healthcare professionals, a doctor and nurses, who offer systematic health assessments and are able to prescribe medication.

There is also a welfare facility and an accredited mental health nurse on site.

Occupancy at the Wethersfield site is currently capped at 580 as part of the Special Development Order. This means that during current operation of the site, the population will not exceed 580.

Once the relevant Special Development Order conditions have been discharged, regular occupancy will be capped at 800.

The number of residents on the site at any one time is likely to vary due to a number of factors, including individuals having moved to onward dispersed accommodation while their claims are being considered.

The site has on-site primary healthcare delivered by a local healthcare provider Monday to Friday. This is run by healthcare professionals, a doctor and nurses, who offer systematic health assessments and are able to prescribe medication.

There is also a welfare facility and an accredited mental health nurse on site.

The Home Office is proceeding with plans to open two refurbished IRCs on the sites of the former Campsfield House IRC at Kidlington in Oxfordshire, and the former Haslar IRC in Gosport, Hampshire. Both sites will be a mixture of refurbished and new-build accommodation, built to the latest standards, and, once open, will provide safe, secure and fit for purpose accommodation.

Like other IRCs, both IRCs will house a mixture of time-served Foreign National Offenders and immigration offenders awaiting removal from the UK, in line with the Government’s priority to increase returns. The sites will be secure facilities, with a range of on-site services (including recreation, faith and medical services) available.

We are committed to ensuring the proper protection and treatment of vulnerable people in detention and in developing plans for the new sites, we will be taking concerns raised by inspection and monitoring bodies into account including the key findings made by the Brook House Inquiry. The Home Office has strengthened its capacity to provide assurance and oversight of services across the detention estate. This includes action to refresh and reinforce whistleblowing arrangements; improving information flows; and analysis of complaints, incidents, and use of force.

The Home Office is proceeding with plans to open two refurbished IRCs on the sites of the former Campsfield House IRC at Kidlington in Oxfordshire, and the former Haslar IRC in Gosport, Hampshire. Both sites will be a mixture of refurbished and new-build accommodation, built to the latest standards, and, once open, will provide safe, secure and fit for purpose accommodation.

Like other IRCs, both IRCs will house a mixture of time-served Foreign National Offenders and immigration offenders awaiting removal from the UK, in line with the Government’s priority to increase returns. The sites will be secure facilities, with a range of on-site services (including recreation, faith and medical services) available.

We are committed to ensuring the proper protection and treatment of vulnerable people in detention and in developing plans for the new sites, we will be taking concerns raised by inspection and monitoring bodies into account including the key findings made by the Brook House Inquiry. The Home Office has strengthened its capacity to provide assurance and oversight of services across the detention estate. This includes action to refresh and reinforce whistleblowing arrangements; improving information flows; and analysis of complaints, incidents, and use of force.

The Home Office is proceeding with plans to open two refurbished IRCs on the sites of the former Campsfield House IRC at Kidlington in Oxfordshire, and the former Haslar IRC in Gosport, Hampshire. Both sites will be a mixture of refurbished and new-build accommodation, built to the latest standards, and, once open, will provide safe, secure and fit for purpose accommodation.

Like other IRCs, both IRCs will house a mixture of time-served Foreign National Offenders and immigration offenders awaiting removal from the UK, in line with the Government’s priority to increase returns. The sites will be secure facilities, with a range of on-site services (including recreation, faith and medical services) available.

We are committed to ensuring the proper protection and treatment of vulnerable people in detention and in developing plans for the new sites, we will be taking concerns raised by inspection and monitoring bodies into account including the key findings made by the Brook House Inquiry. The Home Office has strengthened its capacity to provide assurance and oversight of services across the detention estate. This includes action to refresh and reinforce whistleblowing arrangements; improving information flows; and analysis of complaints, incidents, and use of force.

The Home Office has a legal obligation to meet the essential living needs of destitute asylum seekers. Support is usually provided in the form of accommodation and a weekly allowance. The level of the allowance is reviewed each year to ensure it covers an asylum seeker’s “essential living needs”.

The government is aware of the need for a smooth exit from asylum accommodation for those asylum seekers who are granted leave to remain, so those individuals can support themselves through employment. We continue to work closely with local government and employment partners, including MHCLG and DWP, on this process.

The Home Office takes the health, welfare and safety of people in our care very seriously and it is vital that detention and removals are carried out with dignity and respect.

We are concerned by some of the findings in His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons’ (HMIP’s) report and recognise that standards need to improve across immigration detention facilities. We are committed to taking robust steps informed by these inspection findings.

A detailed service improvement plan setting out the Government’s response to the report has been published on HMIP’s website and implementation of those actions, and overall conditions at Harmondsworth, will be monitored closely to ensure that standards improve.

Further details can be found here: Harmondsworth Immigration Removal Centre – HM Inspectorate of Prisons (justiceinspectorates.gov.uk).

The abuse that took place at Brook House Immigration Removal Centre (IRC) in 2017 was unacceptable and this government is committed to ensuring that it will never happen again.

The previous government published its response to the Brook House Inquiry on 19 March 2024 and can be found here: Government response to the Brook House Inquiry report - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

A cross governmental working group continues to meet monthly to monitor progress against accepted recommendations and drive forward implementation.

We are determined to restore order to the asylum system so that it operates swiftly, firmly, and fairly; and ensures that the rules are properly enforced.

The Home Secretary will decide on the future of current Home Office policies in due course.