Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department have taken to prevent the spread of covid-19 in asylum seekers' accomodation.
The Home Office has been working with a Public Health England embed during the current crisis and we have put in place a number of measures to support people in the asylum system who are affected by the COVID-19 outbreak, including working closely with providers to make sure the most vulnerable people within the system receive the support they need.
In Initial Accommodation facilities, which tends to be hostel based, PHE Guidance recommends that separate rooms?and segregation?be provided for symptomatic people, or they should be moved to hotels. Our providers have configured their accommodation estate to meet this guidance.
In Dispersed Accommodation, which is houses or homes of multiple occupancy accommodating small numbers, Service Users have been provided guidance to ensure they socially distance or self isolate in line with the advice provided to the general public. Additionally, services providers have enhanced their contact management and wraparound services to ensure access to medical care, food packages and other essential items.