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

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Minister for Housing and Planning on 16 June (HC57265), whether the strengthened local authority powers to take over the management of vacant residential premises will be used to assist the housing of asylum seekers.

The Government committed to strengthening existing local authority powers to take over the management of vacant residential premises in the Devolution White Paper. It is for local authorities to decide how to use these powers and there is no requirement to use these powers to secure asylum accommodation. We are committed to empowering local authorities to continue using the range of powers and incentives that they have to tackle long-term empty homes, given that these properties can attract anti-social behaviour and exacerbate local housing shortages.

This government are committed to developing a long-term strategy for asylum accommodation which will deliver a better long-term model of accommodation supply to reduce the use of hotels and competition for affordable housing. As allocated through the Spending Review, the government will be investing £500 million in a more sustainable accommodation model, delivered by MHCLG in partnership with the Home Office and developed in consultation with local authorities in order to deliver better outcomes for communities and taxpayers.