Asylum Seekers Hotels 2024-01-15
2024-01-15
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Direct Answer
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Context
Hotels are being used as temporary accommodation for asylum seekers, a controversial issue.
What recent progress has been made on ending the use of hotels for asylum seekers?
We are making significant progress on closing hotels, with 50 due to be closed by the end of January and more in the coming months. We are also working to move asylum seekers into alternative, cheaper accommodation and have successfully cleared the legacy backlog by deciding more than 112,000 cases.
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Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
Hotels in Leicestershire, including one in Appleby Magna, are still housing asylum seekers despite concerns from local police and fire service.
Will the Minister set out a timeline for when hotels may close or how the least suitable hotels will be closed first?
We need to stick the course on delivering closures, taking into account factors such as ease of exit, speed of exit, notice periods, and value for money. The Minister did not provide a specific timeline or criteria for closing hotels based on suitability.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific timeline or criteria for closure
Response accuracy
Q3
Partial Answer
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Context
There are temporary accommodation centres housing asylum seekers in the questioner's constituency.
Will the Minister work with colleagues to amend social housing rules and close specific hotels?
The Government's plan is working, but no concrete commitment was made to amend social housing rules or specific actions to close hotels in Erewash constituency.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific actions or timeline for closing hotels
Response accuracy
Q4
Partial Answer
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Context
Newton Park hotel is to end contract with asylum seekers by the end of February.
Will the Minister confirm that the closure plan for Newton Park hotel will continue as promised?
The situation in Heather Wheeler's constituency demonstrates progress, but no specific commitment was made for the closure of Newton Park hotel by a particular date.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific timeline or commitment
Response accuracy
Q5
Partial Answer
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Context
Progress has been made in tackling illegal small boat crossings, leading to the closure of North Stafford hotel.
Does my hon. Friend agree that unequivocal legislation on Rwanda will further reduce numbers?
The Bill aims to help sustain progress by reducing in-flows into the UK, particularly via small boat crossings of the channel.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific commitment or timeline for legislation
Response accuracy
Q6
Partial Answer
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Context
There is concern that the situation with hotels housing illegal immigrants could happen again.
Will forthcoming immigration legislation ensure that hotels are not used for asylum seekers?
The Bill aims to help control borders, reduce in-flows into the system via illegal crossings, and stop the need for hotel responses.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific legislation content or timeline
Response accuracy
Q7
Partial Answer
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Context
The Times reported that there are unused hotel beds costing £1.5 million a day, with 3,500 buffer beds.
Are the figures about unused hotel beds and contingency measures correct?
It is important to have a buffer for contingencies, but the Government is looking at this carefully. Within the hotel estate, efforts are being made to maximise bed space usage, which helps close hotels more quickly.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific confirmation of figures
Response accuracy
Q8
Partial Answer
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Context
The question addresses the pressure on local authorities due to high numbers of asylum applications being granted, leading to a strain on their homeless sections.
Clive Betts is concerned about the pressure that the volume of asylum applications being granted puts on local authority homeless sections. He asks whether the Minister will consider extending the 28-day period for asylum seekers from Home Office accommodation to 56 days, as per the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017.
Tom Pursglove acknowledges the issue but states there is no intention to change the 28-day period. He highlights that early visibility on anticipated numbers helps local authorities plan, though many people have more than 28 days within which to vacate.
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Assessment & feedback
The Minister did not directly address the specific ask of reconsidering the time given.
Response accuracy
Q9
Partial Answer
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Context
The question addresses the imbalance in dispersing asylum seekers across different parts of England, with Oldham being disproportionately affected.
Jim McMahon highlights that Oldham supports persecuted individuals but faces a housing crisis due to 145 asylum seekers staying in hotel accommodation and 910 overall. He asks whether it is time for the Government to review its dispersal policy to ensure every part of England plays a fair share, pointing out Braintree's low numbers compared to Oldham's high numbers.
Tom Pursglove reassures Jim McMahon that he and his officials are considering equitability in the approach to dispersal. However, he also notes that a key part of the response is reducing flows into the system.
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Assessment & feedback
The Minister did not directly address whether the Government would review its dispersal policy.
Response accuracy
Q10
Partial Answer
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Context
The question addresses the Prime Minister's promise to close hotels used for asylum seeker accommodation, noting that figures have increased by 10,000 since last year.
Clive Efford asks whether the figure of 56,000 asylum seekers in hotels is correct. He mentions the Prime Minister's previous commitment to closing these hotels and notes an increase of 10,000 since then.
Tom Pursglove clarifies that the cited figures do not represent the current situation accurately and suggests periodic reporting on statistical releases affects the reliability of such citations.
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Assessment & feedback
The Minister did not confirm or deny the accuracy of the figure of 56,000 asylum seekers in hotels.
Response accuracy