Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what Government Departments and agencies she has consulted on potential sites for asylum accommodation; what sites she has under consideration; and whether she plans to use additional Ministry of Defence sites for asylum accommodation in the 2020-21 financial year.

The current global pandemic has presented us with significant challenges when it comes to the provision of asylum accommodation. This has included the need to source sufficient accommodation to meet demand.

Following a review of available government property, the Ministry of Defence agreed to temporarily hand over two of their sites in Kent and Pembrokeshire which are now being used to house asylum seekers.

Whilst this is contingency accommodation used on a temporary basis, our primary focus remains to ensure that we maintain sufficient capacity to meet our statutory obligations during these unprecedented times and will continue to examine further opportunities which may be utilised if necessary.