Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what additional support is being given to the Home Office by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in processing asylum claims by Chagossians fleeing Mauritius as a result of the current civil unrest.
Answered by Baroness Winterton of Doncaster - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As of 19 October, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has not received any requests for consular assistance and is not aware of any British nationals directly impacted by the recent unrest in Mauritius. British nationals who need consular assistance can contact the FCDO at any time.
The British High Commission Port Louis has been engaging with local authorities and monitoring the situation closely, including for any potential impact on British nationals and local communities. We have updated our travel advice and advised British nationals, which includes any British Chagossians, to avoid large gatherings, observe curfews, and follow local-authority instructions. More widely, we remain in close and regular contact with a range of Chagossian groups in Mauritius.
Chagossians are eligible to apply for UK citizenship under the Nationality and Borders Act 2022. There should be no need for Chagossians residing in Mauritius to claim asylum. Information on how to apply for UK citizenship is available on the GOV.UK website.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government which Chagossian contact groups they are consulting for support and liaison as a result of the civil unrest in Mauritius.
Answered by Baroness Winterton of Doncaster - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As of 19 October, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has not received any requests for consular assistance and is not aware of any British nationals directly impacted by the recent unrest in Mauritius. British nationals who need consular assistance can contact the FCDO at any time.
The British High Commission Port Louis has been engaging with local authorities and monitoring the situation closely, including for any potential impact on British nationals and local communities. We have updated our travel advice and advised British nationals, which includes any British Chagossians, to avoid large gatherings, observe curfews, and follow local-authority instructions. More widely, we remain in close and regular contact with a range of Chagossian groups in Mauritius.
Chagossians are eligible to apply for UK citizenship under the Nationality and Borders Act 2022. There should be no need for Chagossians residing in Mauritius to claim asylum. Information on how to apply for UK citizenship is available on the GOV.UK website.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether any British citizens have been directly impacted by the current civil unrest in Mauritius.
Answered by Baroness Winterton of Doncaster - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As of 19 October, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has not received any requests for consular assistance and is not aware of any British nationals directly impacted by the recent unrest in Mauritius. British nationals who need consular assistance can contact the FCDO at any time.
The British High Commission Port Louis has been engaging with local authorities and monitoring the situation closely, including for any potential impact on British nationals and local communities. We have updated our travel advice and advised British nationals, which includes any British Chagossians, to avoid large gatherings, observe curfews, and follow local-authority instructions. More widely, we remain in close and regular contact with a range of Chagossian groups in Mauritius.
Chagossians are eligible to apply for UK citizenship under the Nationality and Borders Act 2022. There should be no need for Chagossians residing in Mauritius to claim asylum. Information on how to apply for UK citizenship is available on the GOV.UK website.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how they are protecting Chagossians in light of the civil unrest in Mauritius.
Answered by Baroness Winterton of Doncaster - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As of 19 October, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has not received any requests for consular assistance and is not aware of any British nationals directly impacted by the recent unrest in Mauritius. British nationals who need consular assistance can contact the FCDO at any time.
The British High Commission Port Louis has been engaging with local authorities and monitoring the situation closely, including for any potential impact on British nationals and local communities. We have updated our travel advice and advised British nationals, which includes any British Chagossians, to avoid large gatherings, observe curfews, and follow local-authority instructions. More widely, we remain in close and regular contact with a range of Chagossian groups in Mauritius.
Chagossians are eligible to apply for UK citizenship under the Nationality and Borders Act 2022. There should be no need for Chagossians residing in Mauritius to claim asylum. Information on how to apply for UK citizenship is available on the GOV.UK website.
Asked by: Gareth Bacon (Conservative - Orpington)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Home Office’s planning application for asylum accommodation at Site A, MOD Bicester, if she will clarify which specific statutory procedure under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 is being used.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Home Office's application has been made under the Urgent Crown Development procedure as at sections 293B to 293C of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.
The procedure is governed by the Town and Country Planning (Crown Development) (Urgent Applications) (Procedure) (England) Order 2025.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to protect Uyghur individuals in the UK from a) refoulement and b) transnational repression.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security) (Jointly with the Cabinet Office)
All asylum and human rights claims, including those from Uyghur individuals, are carefully considered on their individual merits in accordance with our international obligations. Protection is normally granted where a claimant has a well-founded fear of persecution under the Refugee Convention or a claimant faces a real risk of serious harm. We will not remove anyone to their own or any other country where they are found to have a well-founded fear or persecution or are at risk of serious harm.
The first duty of this Government is to keep the country safe. Any attempt by a foreign state to intimidate, harass or harm individuals in the UK will never be tolerated, irrespective of where the threat emanates.
Wherever a threat to an individual is identified, we use all appropriate measures, including through our world class police and intelligence services, to mitigate risks. A range of support and security assistance is available to individuals at risk of transnational repression, including practical guidance is available on GOV.UK and via the National Protective Security Authority.
Anyone who believes they are a victim of state directed activity should report this to the police via 101, 999, or at a local station.
Asked by: Sarah Edwards (Labour - Tamworth)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of (a) the appropriateness of using hotels to accommodate asylum seekers in areas that experienced violent disorder during summer 2024, and (b) the potential impact on (i) community cohesion, (ii) public safety and (iii) local policing resources.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister of State (Home Office)
This Government is clear that asylum hotels are not a sustainable solution and represent poor value for money. We are committed to ending their use and closing all such sites by the end of this Parliament.
The safety and welfare of asylum seekers and local communities is a priority. All asylum accommodation is carefully managed, supported by dedicated security arrangements and strong engagement with local policing and safeguarding partners. These partnerships help to mitigate risks and ensure proportionate action is taken to protect residents, staff, and local communities.
Decisions on the use and closure of individual sites are informed by factors including operational feasibility, cost, community cohesion, and engagement with local authorities and statutory partners. As closures progress, sites will be prioritised on this basis and in line with the Government’s objective of reducing the number of people requiring asylum accommodation.
For safety, security and wellbeing reasons, we do not comment publicly on individual hotels that may or may not be used for asylum accommodation, nor do we publish a closure schedule.
Asked by: Sarah Edwards (Labour - Tamworth)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the continued use of a hotel that has been closed to the public since 2022 to accommodate asylum seekers on the economy of Tamworth town centre.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government is clear that asylum hotels are not a sustainable solution and represent poor value for money. We are committed to ending their use and closing all such sites by the end of this Parliament.
Decisions on the use and closure of individual sites are informed by factors including operational feasibility, cost, community cohesion, and engagement with local authorities and statutory partners. As closures progress, sites will be prioritised on this basis and in line with the Government’s objective of reducing the number of people requiring asylum accommodation.
For safety, security and wellbeing reasons, we do not comment publicly on individual hotels that may or may not be used for asylum accommodation, nor do we publish a closure schedule. Once a hotel is confirmed for closure, the local authority Chief Executive, MP and statutory partners will be notified.
Asked by: Sarah Edwards (Labour - Tamworth)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans she has to end the use of hotels to accommodate asylum seekers in Staffordshire; and what timetable has been set for the closure of remaining asylum hotels in the county.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government is clear that asylum hotels are not a sustainable solution and represent poor value for money. We are committed to ending their use and closing all such sites by the end of this Parliament.
Decisions on the use and closure of individual sites are informed by factors including operational feasibility, cost, community cohesion, and engagement with local authorities and statutory partners. As closures progress, sites will be prioritised on this basis and in line with the Government’s objective of reducing the number of people requiring asylum accommodation.
For safety, security and wellbeing reasons, we do not comment publicly on individual hotels that may or may not be used for asylum accommodation, nor do we publish a closure schedule. Once a hotel is confirmed for closure, the local authority Chief Executive, MP and statutory partners will be notified.
Asked by: Aphra Brandreth (Conservative - Chester South and Eddisbury)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has approved, provisionally approved or been asked to approve the use of any property in Audlem, Cheshire East, as asylum accommodation since 5 July 2024.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister of State (Home Office)
When a site has been identified for use as asylum accommodation, Home Office officials will write to the local authority Chief Executive and the constituency MP to inform them of plans to accommodate asylum seekers within the alternative accommodation identified. This is normally done in advance of a site being used, but where an urgent need for accommodation occurs, this may take place retrospectively.
The latest published Immigration Statistics detail the number of supported asylum seekers accommodated in each local authority area, including those in dispersal properties. These statistics can be found at Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK.