Asylum Application Backlog 2022-11-14
2022-11-14
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Context
Earl Shilton hotel was identified to address the asylum backlog but faced health and safety issues. Asylum seekers were placed in this hotel without proper communication with local authorities.
A hotel in Earl Shilton has twice been identified as a way of dealing with the asylum backlog, but it failed due to health and safety concerns about fire. I was surprised when constituents confirmed seeing asylum seekers there despite no information from councils or police. After contacting the Home Office, confirmation took 72 hours. This is unacceptable. What will be done to prevent this in other constituencies? Will she meet me to discuss Earl Shilton?
I thank my hon. Friend for raising this issue. We have experienced unprecedented pressure on the system recently, responding has been challenging. We inform local partners of our actions but sometimes fall short due to recent pressure. A direct communication has been sent and we want to improve engagement with better understanding and support for affected communities.
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Assessment & feedback
No specific commitments or timelines were provided.
We Are Working To Improve
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
At least four sexual assaults on children have occurred in hotels due to the asylum backlog. Officials committed to provide details of safeguarding requirements if given permission by Ministers.
If the Home Secretary is confident that she is doing everything possible to fulfill her duty of care for vulnerable children, will she give permission and publish details of the safeguarding requirements?
I have been very straight in saying that our asylum system needs improvement. We are working intensively to improve processes, duties, and the discharge of those concerned whether adults or children, or other vulnerable people. There has been unprecedented pressure on the system but we are working apace to procure alternative accommodation.
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Assessment & feedback
No specific commitment to publish safeguarding details was given.
We Are Working Intensively
Response accuracy
Q3
Direct Answer
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Context
Clearing the processing backlog and controlling illegal immigration require intensive hard work and international cooperation.
Clearing the processing backlog is key to solving the asylum problem. The other key is controlling the source of the problem, which requires painstaking hard work like the measure signed by the Home Secretary in Paris today with Mr Macron.
I am grateful for my right hon. Friend's support and input on this challenging issue. He is absolutely right that there is no single solution to the problem, international co-operation is a vital part of it. I was pleased to visit Manston with him a few weeks ago.
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Assessment & feedback
null
Response accuracy
Q4
Partial Answer
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Context
Over 3,500 asylum seekers in Hounslow are waiting for determination on their applications, some for years. They face substandard conditions and Clearspring Ready Homes is profiteering from the situation.
Why will she not contract with local authorities that have expertise in procuring accommodation to ensure basic standards and safeguarding? The Home Secretary admits there is a challenge here.
There are many plans afoot to try to improve the processing of asylum claims. We need to reduce reliance on hotels, improve productivity within the system and prevent journeys in the first place. Huge levels of work ongoing, encourage support for those plans.
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Assessment & feedback
No specific commitment to contract with local authorities was given.
Huge Levels Of Work Ongoing
Response accuracy
Q5
Partial Answer
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Context
The hotel in Earl Shilton was identified to address the asylum backlog but failed due to health and safety concerns. Asylum seekers were placed there without proper communication with local authorities.
A hotel in Earl Shilton has twice been identified as a way of dealing with the asylum backlog, but it failed due to health and safety concerns about fire. I was surprised when constituents confirmed seeing asylum seekers there despite no information from councils or police. After contacting the Home Office, confirmation took 72 hours. This is unacceptable. What will be done to prevent this in other constituencies? Will she meet me to discuss Earl Shilton?
I thank my hon. Friend for raising this issue. We have experienced unprecedented pressure on the system recently, responding has been challenging. We inform local partners of our actions but sometimes fall short due to recent pressure. A direct communication has been sent and we want to improve engagement with better understanding and support for affected communities.
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Assessment & feedback
No specific commitments or timelines were provided.
We Are Working To Improve
Response accuracy
Q6
Partial Answer
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Context
The Nationality and Borders Act established a new category of asylum seekers who are not permitted to claim asylum in Britain and should be removed. However, due to the lack of returns agreement with France and the unworkability of the Rwanda policy, 16,000 people remain stuck in limbo.
The Nationality and Borders Act establishes a new category of asylum seekers that the Government claim are not permitted to claim asylum in Britain and should therefore be removed. However, because the Government have failed to secure a returns agreement with France, and due to the unworkability of their Rwanda policy, 16,000 people in this category are stuck in limbo waiting an additional six months for a decision at significant cost to British taxpayers. Of those 16,000 waiting, only 21 have been returned since the Act's implementation. Does the Government accept that its own legislation is causing further delays, costs, and chaos while failing to remove failed asylum seekers without right of residence?
I find it staggering that Labour Members seem to love complaining about the system but when we introduced laws to fix it, they opposed them every step of the way. We wanted to make it easier to deport foreign national offenders; Labour voted against it. We wanted to fix our asylum system; Labour voted against it. We secured a ground-breaking agreement with Rwanda; Labour would scrap it. Labour Members are very good at complaining but have no solution at all.
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Assessment & feedback
The Minister did not address the specific issue of delays and costs caused by their policies.
Response accuracy