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.
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.