Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential impact of using hotels as temporary accommodation for asylum seekers in Southampton, Itchen constituency on the safety of (a) other hotel occupants and (b) local residents.

The Home Office aims to gradually end the use of hotels and move asylum seekers to less expensive and more suitable dispersed accommodation.  The Department has established a programme of work to actively encourage the three private providers of asylum accommodation and Local Authorities to support the procurement of sufficient dispersed accommodation. The Home Office will shortly bring forward a range of alternative sites such as disused holiday parks, former student halls, and surplus military sites.

Each potential accommodation site is assessed for its suitability, including the availability of public services within the local area. Our providers have a strong record of running contingency sites effectively with minimal impact on the local area and population. We actively engage and collaborate with relevant stakeholders including NHS partners to understand and act on any concerns appropriately as the site operates.