Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the reasons for the North West region being the region with the highest number of asylum seekers in receipt of Home Office support by Local Authority.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government is committed to the Full Dispersal Model, under which all local authority areas are expected to participate in the asylum accommodation system.
The purpose of full dispersal is to ensure that responsibility for supporting asylum seekers is shared more equitably across the United Kingdom and that no individual local authority or region bears a disproportionate share of the burden. The level of accommodation sought in each area is informed by the Asylum Accommodation Plans, which are underpinned by an evidence-based indexing model that takes account of local pressures and housing availability.
The distribution of asylum seekers in receipt of Home Office support reflects a range of operational and market factors, including the availability of suitable accommodation, the historic participation of local authorities in the dispersal system, and the ability of accommodation providers to procure properties in particular areas.
The North West has participated in asylum dispersal arrangements for many years and has historically accommodated a significant proportion of supported asylum seekers. This reflects the availability of dispersed accommodation and the established presence of accommodation providers operating in the region.
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: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what guidance her Department has issued on eligibility tests for the Class F exemption for asylum seekers under regulation 2 of the Council Tax (Liability for Owners) Regulations 1992; and whether data is available by local authority for the number of Class F dwellings in 2025.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The council tax (Liability for Owners) Regulations 1992 does not set out dwellings exempt or discounted from council tax. Instead, it prescribes classes of dwellings where the owner of the dwelling is liable for council tax, rather than the occupant. Therefore, where the dwelling has been provided to an asylum seeker under section 95 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, the owner will be liable rather than the occupants. The government does not collect data on the dwellings within the classes prescribed by the regulations.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether there are council tax discounts, exemptions and disregards in relation to asylum seekers under arrangements made under section 95 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999; and whether there are provisions which amend the hierarchy of liability for asylum seekers.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The council tax (Liability for Owners) Regulations 1992 does not set out dwellings exempt or discounted from council tax. Instead, it prescribes classes of dwellings where the owner of the dwelling is liable for council tax, rather than the occupant. Therefore, where the dwelling has been provided to an asylum seeker under section 95 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, the owner will be liable rather than the occupants. The government does not collect data on the dwellings within the classes prescribed by the regulations.
Asked by: Shivani Raja (Conservative - Leicester East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the evidential basis is for requiring private hire operators to conduct right to work checks on drivers.
Answered by Jo White - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
From 1 October, the Government’s changes to the Right to Work Scheme will come into force. Under these, changes organisations that engage individuals to provide work or services under their company name, including operators in the taxi and private hire vehicle sector, will have a clearer, legal responsibility to prevent illegal working.
Historically, these labour market models have presented challenges for enforcement because accountability for compliance of the legal requirement to prevent illegal working has not been clearly defined and instance of illegal working have been identified. The Government published an assessment of the impact of the measures during the passage of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act 2025 as well as a response to the public consultation on implementation on GOV.UK:
Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill 2025: impact assessments - GOV.UK
Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act 2025: enactment impact assessment - GOV.UK
Extending the Right to Work Scheme - GOV.UK
Returns from the UK and enforcement activity - GOV.UK
The Department will continue to monitor the effect of the measures and publish assessments and data on illegal working and enforcement activity.
While local authority licensing checks form an important part of the existing system, reliance on these checks alone has created ambiguity as to where accountability rests if illegal working is identified, particularly where services are provided through intermediary or platform-based models. The approach being taken provides clarity and consistency, ensuring that responsibility sits with the organisation engaging the individual to provide work or services.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what guidance he has issued to local authorities on their enforcement responsibilities under the Housing Act 2004 in respect of Houses in Multiple Occupation used to house asylum seekers by the Home Office or its contractors.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
My Department has published no such guidance.
I otherwise refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 75141 on 16 September 2025.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what directions and support they give to Local Housing Authorities in order for asylum seekers to be housed; and whether asylum seekers take priority over local people on housing waiting lists.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Home Office is responsible for delivering asylum policy and ensuring eligible destitute asylum seekers are accommodated.
Eligibility for social housing in England is tightly controlled. If a person's immigration status does not allow them recourse to public funds then they are not eligible for an allocation of social housing. Asylum seekers are not eligible for social housing.
Where foreign nationals are eligible, they will have their housing needs considered on the same basis as other eligible applicants in accordance with the local council’s housing allocation scheme. People who are homeless, in overcrowded housing or who need to move for medical reasons are prioritised.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Restore Britain - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on what date discussions were commenced regarding the potential use of MoD Barnham as asylum accommodation; how many meetings were held with local authorities, police forces, NHS bodies and elected representatives before publication of the proposal; and on what dates those meetings took place.
Answered by Alex Norris - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
The Government is considering the use of MoD Barnham for asylum accommodation. No final decision has been made.
Suffolk Constabulary and Norfolk Constabulary were notified of Home Office interest in MoD Barnham on 18 June 2026. Members of Parliament and Local Authority senior officials were notified on 24 June 2026. Local Authority Leaders were briefed on 25 June 2026. The Home Office has since engaged with stakeholders, including NHS bodies, regarding the proposed use of MoD Barnham.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 23 June 2026 to Question 9582 on social rented housing: asylum, what assessment has been made of whether data sharing on former asylum seekers within two days will increase the provision of temporary accommodation by councils to such groups.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Earlier data sharing aims to prevent homelessness in the first place. Providing local authorities with information on newly recognised refugees enables them to intervene at the earliest opportunity during the 42-day move-on period. This gives councils and individuals more time to explore appropriate housing options, including in the private rented sector, before an individual becomes homeless.
These measures do not change local authorities’ statutory homelessness duties or individuals’ entitlement to assistance.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what guidance has his Department given on whether the provision of accommodation to asylum seekers can be included in the definition of affordable housing provided under the National Planning Policy Framework.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Asylum accommodation is provided under sections 4, 95 and 98 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 and is defined by the purpose for which it is provided and its adequacy.
The definition of affordable housing is set out in the glossary of the National Planning Policy Framework and does not include asylum accommodation.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, for what reason his Department determined that proposals for the use of site A at MoD Bicester for asylum accommodation should be considered under the Urgent Crown Development Order process.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The decision in question was taken having regard to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 13 February 2025 (HCWS454).