Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of facilities available to asylum seekers staying at National Asylum Support Service accommodation in Selly Oak constituency.

The Home Office sets clear standards for our accommodation providers, who are contractually obliged to provide adequate accommodation and to conduct regular quality assurance checks across the asylum estate.

Robust compliance and governance protocols exist to ensure daily engagement is undertaken with our service providers by Home Office officials to ensure and assure the providers’ operational delivery and overall performance consistently meet the required standards. If any issues are identified providers are required to take immediate action to address and recover accordingly.

In response to the global pandemic, officials also have formal weekly meetings to ensure individuals are housed safely, services are delivered in line with their contractual obligations and with adherence to guidance from UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and where appropriate Department for Health & Social Care (DHSC) is followed.

Asylum seekers can also raise specific issues or concerns about their accommodation through the 24/7 Advice, Issue Reporting and Eligibility (AIRE) service operated via Migrant Help.