Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 2 December 2022 to Question 98774, how many (a) full-time equivalent staff are employed in his Contract Assurance Team and (b) inspections that team made of (i) contingency and (ii) dispersal accommodation between 1 April 2022 and 30 September 2022.

The Contract Assurance team currently has 22 full time equivalent staff. From April to September the team conducted 192 inspections of contingency accommodation and 442 inspections of dispersal accommodation, alongside other contract assurance activities.

Once initial checks and considerations are complete, and an individual site is identified as potentially suitable, providers are given approval to begin due diligence and engagement with hotel and the Home Office begins its engagement activity with local partners including notice to Chief Executive and MPs. Due diligence covers a range of issues including compliance with statutory requirements as well as general suitability and environment.

The ICIBI also conducted a thorough review of contingency accommodation. Their findings were published in May 2022 and the Home Office has accepted all of the recommendations made.