Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 2 November (HL9318), what recent monitoring they have conducted of asylum seeker accommodation in Pembrokeshire and Folkestone; whether they will publish any reports or results of such monitoring; and what steps they intend to take should such reports show that the accommodation is not “safe, habitable, fit for purpose and correctly equipped".

The Government demands the highest standards from contractors and their accommodation and monitor them closely to ensure this is maintained. All accommodation provided is required to be safe, habitable, fit for purpose and correctly equipped, and to comply with relevant national or local housing legislation. These standards apply to all accommodation used by the Home Office including the Ministry of Defence sites in Pembrokeshire and Folkestone.

Both Penally and Napier Barracks have been inspected during November, neither inspection found any contractual failings. There are no plans to publish the inspection reports.