Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has issued guidance to local authorities on purchasing empty homes for the purpose of housing asylum seekers.

The department has not issued any guidance at this stage to local authorities on purchasing empty homes for the purpose of housing asylum seekers.

We continue to work closely with the Home Office and local authorities to develop a more sustainable model of asylum accommodation supply which will ensure basic accommodation is made available for asylum seekers on a temporary basis.