Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which bodies her Department and its accommodation providers are required to consult before approving new asylum dispersal accommodation; and whether that consultation includes (a) the relevant local authority, (b) parish councils, (c) local NHS bodies and (d) the relevant Member of Parliament.

The Home Office and its accommodation providers operate a robust consultation process for the procurement of prospective dispersal accommodation. Proposed properties are shared with nominated local authority officials, providing them with an opportunity to assess the suitability of each property before any procurement decision is made.

Local authorities are given five working days to provide relevant local insights and intelligence, including information obtained from statutory partners such as the police and health services. This information provides vital local context and informs decision making on procurement activity.

This consultation process is undertaken with local authority officials at district level. Elected members are not consulted as part of the procurement process for dispersed accommodation.