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.
Asked by: Lord German (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what right of appeal or administrative review is available to individuals whose EU Settlement Scheme status is determined to have been granted in error; and what safeguards are in place to prevent erroneous decisions resulting in the loss of lawful residence rights.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Where the Home Office identifies that a person may have been granted EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) status in error, they are given an opportunity to provide evidence to show that they meet the requirements for that status. Their existing status under the EUSS is not cancelled as a result of that process. Where the person holds pre-settled status, it remains valid until its expiry date but will not be extended beyond that point. The person is informed they do not meet the requirements to sponsor applications to the EUSS from family members.
A person informed by the Home Office that they have been granted pre-settled status in error can re-apply to the EUSS if they disagree and, if refused, they can appeal to the independent First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber). Where such an application to the EUSS is made before the expiry of their pre-settled status, they will continue to hold that status while the application, and any appeal against refusal, remains outstanding.
The Home Office considers that the existing arrangements are consistent with the UK's obligations under the Withdrawal Agreement. The approach taken is the Home Office’s usual approach when limited leave to enter or remain is granted in error. It allows the person to continue to enjoy a basis of stay in the UK, and the right to work here, for the remaining period of that leave, during which they can apply for leave to remain in the UK under any immigration route available to them.
Local management information indicates that from the introduction of the EUSS in 2018 to 30 June 2026, 1,473 individuals have been notified that their pre-settled status was granted in error. These figures are derived from manual records and may be subject to revision. Information on how many of these individuals’ pre-settled status has expired, or is at risk of expiry, is not held in a reportable format.
Asked by: Lord German (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many individuals have been informed that their EU Settlement Scheme status was granted in error since the introduction of the scheme; and how many of those individuals have subsequently lost, or are at risk of losing, their right to reside in the United Kingdom.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Where the Home Office identifies that a person may have been granted EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) status in error, they are given an opportunity to provide evidence to show that they meet the requirements for that status. Their existing status under the EUSS is not cancelled as a result of that process. Where the person holds pre-settled status, it remains valid until its expiry date but will not be extended beyond that point. The person is informed they do not meet the requirements to sponsor applications to the EUSS from family members.
A person informed by the Home Office that they have been granted pre-settled status in error can re-apply to the EUSS if they disagree and, if refused, they can appeal to the independent First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber). Where such an application to the EUSS is made before the expiry of their pre-settled status, they will continue to hold that status while the application, and any appeal against refusal, remains outstanding.
The Home Office considers that the existing arrangements are consistent with the UK's obligations under the Withdrawal Agreement. The approach taken is the Home Office’s usual approach when limited leave to enter or remain is granted in error. It allows the person to continue to enjoy a basis of stay in the UK, and the right to work here, for the remaining period of that leave, during which they can apply for leave to remain in the UK under any immigration route available to them.
Local management information indicates that from the introduction of the EUSS in 2018 to 30 June 2026, 1,473 individuals have been notified that their pre-settled status was granted in error. These figures are derived from manual records and may be subject to revision. Information on how many of these individuals’ pre-settled status has expired, or is at risk of expiry, is not held in a reportable format.
Asked by: Lord German (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to suspending the expiry or cancellation of an individual's EU Settlement Scheme status where it is alleged to have been granted in error until the individual concerned has had a meaningful opportunity to challenge that decision.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Where the Home Office identifies that a person may have been granted EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) status in error, they are given an opportunity to provide evidence to show that they meet the requirements for that status. Their existing status under the EUSS is not cancelled as a result of that process. Where the person holds pre-settled status, it remains valid until its expiry date but will not be extended beyond that point. The person is informed they do not meet the requirements to sponsor applications to the EUSS from family members.
A person informed by the Home Office that they have been granted pre-settled status in error can re-apply to the EUSS if they disagree and, if refused, they can appeal to the independent First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber). Where such an application to the EUSS is made before the expiry of their pre-settled status, they will continue to hold that status while the application, and any appeal against refusal, remains outstanding.
The Home Office considers that the existing arrangements are consistent with the UK's obligations under the Withdrawal Agreement. The approach taken is the Home Office’s usual approach when limited leave to enter or remain is granted in error. It allows the person to continue to enjoy a basis of stay in the UK, and the right to work here, for the remaining period of that leave, during which they can apply for leave to remain in the UK under any immigration route available to them.
Local management information indicates that from the introduction of the EUSS in 2018 to 30 June 2026, 1,473 individuals have been notified that their pre-settled status was granted in error. These figures are derived from manual records and may be subject to revision. Information on how many of these individuals’ pre-settled status has expired, or is at risk of expiry, is not held in a reportable format.
Asked by: Lord German (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they consider allowing individual's EU Settlement Scheme status to expire because the Home Office considers it was granted in error to be consistent with the United Kingdom’s obligations under the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Where the Home Office identifies that a person may have been granted EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) status in error, they are given an opportunity to provide evidence to show that they meet the requirements for that status. Their existing status under the EUSS is not cancelled as a result of that process. Where the person holds pre-settled status, it remains valid until its expiry date but will not be extended beyond that point. The person is informed they do not meet the requirements to sponsor applications to the EUSS from family members.
A person informed by the Home Office that they have been granted pre-settled status in error can re-apply to the EUSS if they disagree and, if refused, they can appeal to the independent First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber). Where such an application to the EUSS is made before the expiry of their pre-settled status, they will continue to hold that status while the application, and any appeal against refusal, remains outstanding.
The Home Office considers that the existing arrangements are consistent with the UK's obligations under the Withdrawal Agreement. The approach taken is the Home Office’s usual approach when limited leave to enter or remain is granted in error. It allows the person to continue to enjoy a basis of stay in the UK, and the right to work here, for the remaining period of that leave, during which they can apply for leave to remain in the UK under any immigration route available to them.
Local management information indicates that from the introduction of the EUSS in 2018 to 30 June 2026, 1,473 individuals have been notified that their pre-settled status was granted in error. These figures are derived from manual records and may be subject to revision. Information on how many of these individuals’ pre-settled status has expired, or is at risk of expiry, is not held in a reportable format.
Asked by: Lord Cameron of Lochiel (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hanson of Flint on 27 July (HL2056), whether the Ministry of Defence plans to publish a timetable for the reopening of Cameron Barracks for use by all previous user groups; and whether they plan to ensure Highland Council and other affected user groups receive formal notification as soon as the handover from the Home Office is complete.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Cameron Barracks is planned to return to Defence use this Autumn following the announcement by the Home Office in June 26 that they were no longer considering the site for asylum accommodation. As the site was never used for temporary accommodation, there is limited refurbishment and remediation works required.
Previous user groups and the military families whose service families accommodation is located at the barracks, were notified over the summer that the site is returning to Ministry of Defence (MOD) use. The MOD has continued to engage with local stakeholders throughout, although they would not normally notify the Highland Council about the routine use of Defence sites within their jurisdiction.
Asked by: Lord Cameron of Lochiel (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to fund the refurbishment of Cameron Barracks in Inverness, in the light of their decision not to use Cameron Barracks as temporary accommodation for illegal migrants.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Cameron Barracks is planned to return to Defence use this Autumn following the announcement by the Home Office in June 26 that they were no longer considering the site for asylum accommodation. As the site was never used for temporary accommodation, there is limited refurbishment and remediation works required.
Previous user groups and the military families whose service families accommodation is located at the barracks, were notified over the summer that the site is returning to Ministry of Defence (MOD) use. The MOD has continued to engage with local stakeholders throughout, although they would not normally notify the Highland Council about the routine use of Defence sites within their jurisdiction.