Asked by: Lord Cameron of Lochiel (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they considered any other sites managed by the Ministry of Defence before shortlisting Cameron Barracks and Crowborough army training camp for asylum accommodation; and if so, which sites they considered.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Government has committed to close expensive asylum hotels and to achieve this, we will look at a range of cheaper, more appropriate sites like disused accommodation, industrial and ex-military sites so that we can reduce the impact on communities.
The MOD is stepping up to contribute to this whole of Government effort and is considering several sites. We are working closely with local authorities, property partners and across-government so that we can accelerate delivery and more detail will be set out in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on local authorities of rising temporary accommodation costs; and what plans they have to respond to the Office for Budget Responsibility finding that long-term demand for asylum accommodation is expected to cost £15.3 billion over the next decade.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office are working with local authorities to manage the impact of asylum accommodation upon communities whilst the department reduces the number of asylum-seekers awaiting a decision.
The financial figure referenced by the Office for Budget Responsibility is taken from an NAO report from May 2025, and it covers the 10 year period 2019-2029 not the next 10 years; it includes peak levels of spending in previous years which is coming down – asylum support costs reduced by £700m between 23/24 and 24/25.
Asked by: Jim McMahon (Labour (Co-op) - Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of ending the use of asylum hotels on the use of dispersed accommodation in areas like Oldham; and if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of routinely publishing the number of properties procured for dispersed accommodation.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office has, since 2022, operated a system of Full Dispersal which works to ensure that asylum accommodation is spread equitably and fairly across the UK. Procurement of accommodation is driven by a set of evidence-based plans, which are refreshed every six months with Local Government, and which consider a range of factors, including the availability of housing, pressure on services and community cohesion, to ensure that no one area is overburdened.
Data, published quarterly, on the number of supported asylum seekers in accommodation, including accommodation type, and broken down into Local Authority area, can be found within the Asy_D11 tab of our most recent statistics release.
Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK (opens in a new tab).
Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to pause asylum accommodation evictions during the activation of a severe weather emergency protocol.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) protocols are now recognised standard operational practice in the Home Office.
Where SWEP is activated in a local authority area, if Service Users at the end of their move on period have not secured onward accommodation and are due to be evicted from asylum accommodation, Accommodation Providers will not actively pursue eviction, and this will be delayed.
Asked by: Lord Jamieson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Minister of State for Housing and Planning on 21 November (HC88648), whether they have a general policy on cancelling 'article 4' directions submitted by local authorities to remove permitted development rights for (1) asylum hotels, and (2) houses in multiple occupation that are occupied by asylum seekers, by exercising the Secretary of State's powers under Schedule 3 to the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
We have no such policies.
Asked by: Marie Goldman (Liberal Democrat - Chelmsford)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if her Department will consider the treatment of LGBTQ+ refugees when assessing enforced returns to countries with newly established regimes, particularly where a change of government has not resulted in improved protections for LGBTQ+ people.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
All asylum and human rights claims including those based on sexual orientation and gender identity are carefully considered on their individual merits in accordance with our international obligations. Each individual assessment is made against the background of relevant case law and the latest available country of origin information. This is based on evidence taken from a wide range of reliable sources, including reputable media outlets; local, national, and international organisations, including human rights organisations; and information from the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office. Our assessment of the situation of a given group in a given country, is set out in the relevant country policy and information note, which is available on Country policy and information notes - GOV.UK.
When someone applies for settlement, we review the situation in their country to assess whether they still need protection. Those who no longer need protection can return home in safety or apply to stay under other provisions of the Immigration Rules.
We will not remove anyone to any country where they will face persecution or serious harm.
Asked by: Marie Goldman (Liberal Democrat - Chelmsford)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ensure that LGBTQ+ refugees will not be forcibly returned to countries where they are likely to face persecution.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
All asylum and human rights claims including those based on sexual orientation and gender identity are carefully considered on their individual merits in accordance with our international obligations. Each individual assessment is made against the background of relevant case law and the latest available country of origin information. This is based on evidence taken from a wide range of reliable sources, including reputable media outlets; local, national, and international organisations, including human rights organisations; and information from the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office. Our assessment of the situation of a given group in a given country, is set out in the relevant country policy and information note, which is available on Country policy and information notes - GOV.UK.
When someone applies for settlement, we review the situation in their country to assess whether they still need protection. Those who no longer need protection can return home in safety or apply to stay under other provisions of the Immigration Rules.
We will not remove anyone to any country where they will face persecution or serious harm.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much central government funding was made available to the London Borough of Hillingdon in 2024-25 to compensate for costs relating to asylum.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office does not publicly publish grant payment levels by local authority, we do however provide funding to Local Authorities under the following grant agreements Asylum, Unaccompanied Asylum-seeking children & former unaccompanied asylum-seeking children Care Leavers.
Please see the link below to the relevant Funding Instructions:
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much Home Office funding is being provided to the London Borough of Hillingdon in 2025-26 to assist with the costs of asylum seekers.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office does not publicly publish grant payment levels by local authority, we do however provide funding to Local Authorities under the following grant agreements Asylum, Unaccompanied Asylum-seeking children & former unaccompanied asylum-seeking children Care Leavers.
Please see the link below to the relevant Funding Instructions:
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's policy paper entitled Restoring Order and Control: A statement on the government’s asylum and returns policy, updated on 21 November 2025, if she will make it her policy to implement safeguards as part of the proposed refugee sponsorship reforms.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The government is committed to transforming our approach to safe and legal routes, including how the UK offers opportunities to refugees and relevant local authorities. Work is underway to operationalise these new routes, and further details will be provided in due course.
Safeguarding requirements are already in place under the government’s existing schemes. This includes the current Community Sponsorship scheme, where all sponsors must have robust safeguarding procedures in place.