Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risk that people smugglers and traffickers will take advantage of the Homes for Ukraine scheme; and what plans they have to introduce measures to deter such activity.

The Homes for Ukraine scheme has been designed with a clear safeguarding policy. The Home Office will conduct standard security checks on sponsors as well as on all adults aged 18 and over who will be living in the same household as the guests. This includes checks against government records and those of other third parties such as the Police National Computer, or its equivalent in Northern Ireland. Councils will be required to undertake appropriate Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks for all adults in the sponsor household. I refer the noble Lord to the guidance for local authorities available online at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/homes-for-ukraine-guidance-for-councils