Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps they have taken to reform the performance management regime for the Asylum Accommodation and Support Contracts (AASC); and when they expect substantive changes to that regime to be implemented.

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

The Home Office has undertaken a period of engagement with its contracted Asylum Accommodation and Support Contract Providers regarding the performance management arrangements under these contracts. Discussions and a review of the performance management regime have now concluded. The Home Office and the providers were unable to reach agreement on proposed changes to the regime. As the Home Office cannot unilaterally amend the contractual terms without the agreement of the relevant providers, the existing performance management regime remains in full force and effect.

Excess profits of £45.9m have been returned to the Department since 2019 in relation to the Asylum Accommodation and Support Contract’s profit share provisions. A further breakdown of this figure cannot be provided at this time.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if they will list the excess profits recorded under each of the seven regional Asylum Accommodation and Support Contracts (AASC) for each year from 2019 to 2024; and how much has been returned to the Department by the respective contract providers for each of those years.

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

The Home Office has undertaken a period of engagement with its contracted Asylum Accommodation and Support Contract Providers regarding the performance management arrangements under these contracts. Discussions and a review of the performance management regime have now concluded. The Home Office and the providers were unable to reach agreement on proposed changes to the regime. As the Home Office cannot unilaterally amend the contractual terms without the agreement of the relevant providers, the existing performance management regime remains in full force and effect.

Excess profits of £45.9m have been returned to the Department since 2019 in relation to the Asylum Accommodation and Support Contract’s profit share provisions. A further breakdown of this figure cannot be provided at this time.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the payment of (a) PAYE income tax and (b) National Insurance contributions in respect of UK-based employees is considered as evidence that an organisation is operating in the UK.

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

In relation to the licensing of businesses for the purposes of Sponsoring overseas employers, the evidential options to demonstrate that they have a UK footprint and trading presence are set out in Appendix A of the Sponsor guidance.

This can be found at: Sponsor guidance appendix A: supporting documents for sponsor applications - GOV.UK

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if they will list the total number of performance failures recorded under each of the seven regional Asylum Accommodation and Support Contracts (AASC) in each year from 2019 to 2024; and what the total value of the financial penalties levied in response was in each of those years.

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

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many staff are currently engaged in the management and oversight of asylum accommodation contracts, broken down by (a) directly employed departmental staff and (b) external contractors and consultancy personnel; and what the total annual cost is of (i) directly employed staff, including salaries, employer National Insurance contributions and pension costs, and (ii) external contracts for consultancy or contract management services.

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

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what progress she has made on implementing the recommendations of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee in the report entitled Economics of music streaming, Session 2021-22, HC 50; and what steps her Department is taking to ensure that non-featured performers and other contributors to recorded music are adequately remunerated for the streaming of their work.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Ensuring that music creators are fairly compensated for their work is crucial to the ongoing success of our world-class music industry, as this is what allows them to invest their time, effort, and money into creating music.

Through the Creator Remuneration Working Group, we collaborated on this matter with key industry stakeholders, including major and independent record labels and music creator representatives.

In July 2025, we were delighted to welcome the new label-led principles as an output of these discussions. This includes targeted support for legacy artists, songwriters and session musicians, with the commitment from the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) and the Musicians’ Union to increase fees for session musicians by 40% for pop and 15% for classical sessions. The UK’s major labels have also launched bespoke packages to deliver benefits for UK creators.

To track progress and measure success, the government has worked with industry to implement a robust process to monitor and review the impact of the Principles. The Government will then assess the need for further intervention to ensure this package delivers on its objective to bring about real change.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if they will list the total number of performance failures recorded under each of the seven regional Asylum Accommodation and Support Contracts (AASC) in each year from 2019 to 2024; and what the total value of the financial penalties levied in response was in each of those years.

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

The full set of contractual KPIs for each AASC region has been published online and can be accessed via Contracts Finder at the following links:

AASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract NW - Contracts Finder

AASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract MEE - Contracts Finder

AASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract NEYH - Contracts Finder

AASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract Scotland - Contracts Finder

AASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract NI - Contracts Finder

AASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract Wales - Contracts Finder

AASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract South - Contracts Finder

Performance results for the AASC contracts are commercially sensitive. Releasing detailed, supplier level performance data could undermine the Department’s ability to manage and assure the delivery of these live contracts effectively. For this reason, the Home Office does not publish individual supplier performance results.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many staff are currently engaged in the management and oversight of asylum accommodation contracts, broken down by (a) directly employed departmental staff and (b) external contractors and consultancy personnel; and what the total annual cost is of (i) directly employed staff, including salaries, employer National Insurance contributions and pension costs, and (ii) external contracts for consultancy or contract management services.

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

We do not report on data at this granularity and would only be obtainable at disproportionate cost.

The Home Office publishes information on asylum expenditure in the Home Office Annual Report and Accounts at Home Office Annual Reports and Accounts - GOV.UK.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether a five storey building meets the criteria for Homes England to provide funding for essential cladding remediation works, irrespective of the building's height.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Homes England may provide funding for cladding remediation works through the Cladding Safety Scheme where a building meets the eligibility criteria for that scheme. The published criteria state that eligible residential buildings must be over 11 metres in height.

David Tennant

Protest rights

Fundraising by Albie Lavallee for the National Autistic Society

VAT for UK hospitality

Draft Code of Practice on Services, public functions and associations

Mental Health Awareness Week

Found: oral representations: Jayne Kirkham and Perran Moon: Floating offshore wind in the Celtic Sea Max Wilkinson

Found: 61.5%) Joe Morris (Labour, Hexham) (added 28 Oct 2024; removed 28 Apr 2025) 4 of 15 (26.7%) Max Wilkinson