Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department is conducting community engagement on dispersed asylum seekers in Northern Ireland.

The Strategic Migration Partnership in Northern Ireland is not currently functioning. However, discussions are ongoing to restore the partnership and its roles and responsibilities will be determined when it is re-established. In the meantime, the Home Office continues to work collaboratively with partners in Northern Ireland on matters previously covered by the Strategic Migration Partnership.

Full Dispersal funding was made available to the Executive Office in the 2022/2023 financial year and an enhanced package has been approved for the 2023/2024 financial year. The Executive Office has full autonomy in how this funding is distributed.

The Home Office does not conduct community engagement on dispersed asylum seekers in any region.