Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the findings of the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants study of the impact of the right to rent checks on migrants and ethnic minorities in England.

The Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants’ report includes findings about discrimination in relation to the Right to Rent scheme, but the Government’s view is that JCWI does not provide clear evidence that discrimination has arisen as a consequence of the scheme. However, the Government takes this issue seriously, and officials will meet with JCWI in order to discuss the findings in their report.

The Government’s own evaluation of phase one of the scheme, in parts of the West Midlands, found no evidence of discrimination in terms of outcomes for prospective tenants.