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Written Question
Terrorism: Victims
Tuesday 30th January 2024

Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the Victims of Terrorism Unit (a) completed its review into the support package provided to victims of terrorism and (b) made a draft of its findings available to Ministers; and what plans his Department has to publish the outcomes of that review.

Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)

In recognition of the complexities and importance of the Victims of Terrorism Review, Home Office Ministers are considering how to progress recommendations.

Once this phase is complete, the Home Office will consider how to communicate the findings and next steps.


Written Question
Terrorism: Victims
Tuesday 23rd January 2024

Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, If he will introduce a National Day of Service and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism.

Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)

The Home Office has conducted an internal review into the support package provided to victims of terrorism.

The scope of the review covered how the government considers victims of terrorism, what gaps there are in the current support offer and whether communication of the support available is right.

The review recognises that memorialisation and recognition are an important factor in victims’ recovery and has considered how victims could be commemorated in the future.

We will seek to update on next steps in due course.


Written Question
Asylum: MOD Wethersfield
Tuesday 24th October 2023

Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the net financial costs to public services in Essex of the Wethersfield asylum seeker accommodation site.

Answered by Robert Jenrick

The Home Office is carefully considering the impact on local services including the NHS, police, fire services and social care and we are working with local partners to develop bespoke plans that take account of potential issues including local public safety, local health services, local environmental issues, impact on local services and any risks associated with each site. Financial support is being provided to Braintree District Council, and primary healthcare is available onsite to ensure there is no impact on local GPs. The government provides £3,500 to local authorities for new and occupied dispersal beds. This £3,500 funding for local authorities is being provided to Braintree District Council for the site at Wethersfield.


Written Question
Asylum: MOD Wethersfield
Tuesday 24th October 2023

Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers who were accommodated at MDP Wethersfield moved into alternative accommodation as a result of a modern day slavery claim being made.

Answered by Robert Jenrick

We are using a phased approach, increasing the number of asylum seekers accommodated at the site over time with the practicalities of managing the site under constant review. The site can accommodate 1700 individuals when fully operational. From 13 April 2022, all local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales are currently considered a dispersal area and will need to take part in asylum dispersal. This is to ensure a fair and equitable accommodation spread of asylum seekers across the UK. We have agreed targets for every local authority and region in the UK to deliver by the end of 2023. Scotland is currently not meeting its dispersal accommodation target.


Written Question
Asylum: MOD Wethersfield
Tuesday 24th October 2023

Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers have been (a) transferred to and (b) housed at the asylum accommodation centre at MDP Wethersfield site since it opened.

Answered by Robert Jenrick

We are using a phased approach, increasing the number of asylum seekers accommodated at the site over time with the practicalities of managing the site under constant review. The site can accommodate 1700 individuals when fully operational. From 13 April 2022, all local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales are currently considered a dispersal area and will need to take part in asylum dispersal. This is to ensure a fair and equitable accommodation spread of asylum seekers across the UK. We have agreed targets for every local authority and region in the UK to deliver by the end of 2023. Scotland is currently not meeting its dispersal accommodation target.


Written Question
Asylum: MOD Wethersfield
Tuesday 24th October 2023

Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, of how asylum seekers who have left MDP Wethersfield site the location is unknown.

Answered by Robert Jenrick

Those living at the Wethersfield site are be able to come and go. The process for leaving the site is the same as the rest of our asylum accommodation.


Written Question
Asylum: MOD Wethersfield
Tuesday 24th October 2023

Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 4 July 2023 to Question 191112 on Asylum: MOD Wethersfield, when she plans to announce the planning process which will be followed for the MOD Wethersfield site for asylum accommodation.

Answered by Robert Jenrick

The Home Office currently has planning permission for Wethersfield under Class Q Permitted Development rights which is valid for 12 months. If a decision is made to seek planning permission for use of the site as asylum accommodation beyond this period, it will be communicated in due course.


Written Question
Asylum: Housing
Tuesday 24th October 2023

Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when payments will be made to local authorities with large scale asylum accommodation sites in their boundaries; and if she will publish the criteria and conditions of the funding provided.

Answered by Robert Jenrick

We are committed to making the funding payments in the fastest manner possible, and while we are exploring options to accelerate this and make a one-off payment by the end of this month, at present we are working on a grant where the payment will be released to during the following quarter of the year in which the bed was first occupied. This payment aligns with those made for each new dispersal bed and a funding instruction will be provided when the grant is live.


Written Question
Asylum: Accommodation Centres
Wednesday 19th July 2023

Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will place in the Library the dispersal plans for each of the asylum accommodation centres announced on 29 March 2023; and if she will provide details on which local authorities asylum seekers at those sites will be dispersed to.

Answered by Robert Jenrick

For each of the sites announced on 29 March 2023, the Home Office will deploy the established dispersal processes for moving service users out of the site, based on need and the current operational capacity across the accommodation estate.


Written Question
Asylum: Temporary Accommodation
Wednesday 19th July 2023

Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Statement made by the Minister for Immigration on 29 March 2023, Official Report, column 1017, what recent progress her Department has made on establishing sites at which asylum seekers will be accommodated; and what recent estimate she has made of the cost to the public purse of each of these sites.

Answered by Robert Jenrick

There is an urgent need to reduce reliance on hotels to accommodate asylum seekers, to reduce cost to taxpayer and to better manage community impacts.

As per standard practice, audited costs for large accommodation sites will be published through the Home Office annual report and accounts.