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1680352

	registered interest
	date	08/01/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Asylum: Children
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many unaccompanied children seeking asylum have spent at least one night in hotel accommodation provided by the Home Office in the last 3 months.
	tabling member constituency	Stockton North
	tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
	uin	8423
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/01/2024 answer text <p>The High Court has upheld that local authorities have a statutory duty to care for UASC. We have always maintained that the best place for unaccompanied children to be accommodated is within a local authority. The High Court recently noted that improvements, plus impressive collaboration between the Home Office and Kent County Council, has led to a significant fall in the number of lone children being accommodated in hotels.</p><p>Since 18 November 2023, the one remaining hotel in Kent has remained empty. Of the 7 hotels which were operational in 2022, 6 of those were closed permanently on 30 November 2023.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove grouped question UIN 8424 question first answered 11/01/2024 17:50:05 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
	tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

1680353

	registered interest
	date	08/01/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Asylum: Children
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many unaccompanied children seeking asylum were placed in hotel accommodation by the Home Office in the last three months, broken down by number of nights spent in that accomodation.
	tabling member constituency	Stockton North
	tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
	uin	8424
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/01/2024 answer text <p>The High Court has upheld that local authorities have a statutory duty to care for UASC. We have always maintained that the best place for unaccompanied children to be accommodated is within a local authority. The High Court recently noted that improvements, plus impressive collaboration between the Home Office and Kent County Council, has led to a significant fall in the number of lone children being accommodated in hotels.</p><p>Since 18 November 2023, the one remaining hotel in Kent has remained empty. Of the 7 hotels which were operational in 2022, 6 of those were closed permanently on 30 November 2023.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove grouped question UIN 8423 question first answered 11/01/2024 17:50:05 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
	tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

1677689

	registered interest
	date	13/12/2023
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Asylum: Children
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many unaccompanied children in temporary accommodation have been provided with healthcare support in the last 12 months.
	tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Hall Green
	tabling member printed	Tahir Ali
	uin	6910
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/12/2023 answer text <p>We maintain that the best place for these children to be accommodated is within local authority care. As part of the national transfer scheme, the receiving local authority must provide suitable support for all children being moved into their care, including health care, irrespective of the child’s immigration status. <br> <br> Asylum seekers have access to health and social care services from the point of arrival in the UK. The Home Office and its contractors work closely with the NHS, local authorities and non-governmental organisations to ensure that people can access the healthcare and support they need. <br> <br> The Home Office also operates a Safeguarding Hub to support vulnerable individuals in accessing these services. In addition, the Home Office contracts Migrant Help to provide advice and guidance to asylum seekers should they have an issue with their accommodation or support, and for signposting to health and welfare services. Asylum seekers can access Migrant Help 24/7, every day of the year by a freephone telephone number, via an online chat, or completing an email enquiry form, both of which can be accessed free of charge on the Migrant Help website. Interpreting and translation services are available through Migrant Help when the need arises for asylum seekers to raise any queries or concerns.</p><p> </p><p>The information you have requested of the Home Office is not held in a reportable format.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove grouped question UIN 6911 question first answered 20/12/2023 12:59:11 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
	tabling member	4747 label Biography information for Tahir Ali

1677690

	registered interest
	date	13/12/2023
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Asylum: Children
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make an assessment of the potential trauma for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children of being housed in hotels.
	tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Hall Green
	tabling member printed	Tahir Ali
	uin	6911
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/12/2023 answer text <p>We maintain that the best place for these children to be accommodated is within local authority care. As part of the national transfer scheme, the receiving local authority must provide suitable support for all children being moved into their care, including health care, irrespective of the child’s immigration status. <br> <br> Asylum seekers have access to health and social care services from the point of arrival in the UK. The Home Office and its contractors work closely with the NHS, local authorities and non-governmental organisations to ensure that people can access the healthcare and support they need. <br> <br> The Home Office also operates a Safeguarding Hub to support vulnerable individuals in accessing these services. In addition, the Home Office contracts Migrant Help to provide advice and guidance to asylum seekers should they have an issue with their accommodation or support, and for signposting to health and welfare services. Asylum seekers can access Migrant Help 24/7, every day of the year by a freephone telephone number, via an online chat, or completing an email enquiry form, both of which can be accessed free of charge on the Migrant Help website. Interpreting and translation services are available through Migrant Help when the need arises for asylum seekers to raise any queries or concerns.</p><p> </p><p>The information you have requested of the Home Office is not held in a reportable format.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove grouped question UIN 6910 question first answered 20/12/2023 12:59:11 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
	tabling member	4747 label Biography information for Tahir Ali

1676631

	registered interest
	date	08/12/2023
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Asylum: Children
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what safeguarding information his Department collects on unaccompanied children who are seeking asylum.
	tabling member constituency	Hampstead and Kilburn
	tabling member printed	Tulip Siddiq
	uin	6027
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/12/2023 answer text <p>The Home Office collects information from individuals seeking asylum for the purpose of progressing asylum claims. When that information affects the type of accommodation an individual may require, that information is also recorded for the purposes of meeting our statutory obligation.</p><p>In respect of Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children, responsibility to accommodate them sits with the local authority and they are required to collate appropriate safeguarding information for each child in their care.</p><p>All unaccompanied asylum-seeking children receive a welfare interview on arrival in the UK.</p><p> </p><p>Young people who were placed in emergency interim hotels which were operated by the Home Office had additional standard information collected from them to ensure that referrals or actions required due to any identified safeguarding concerns or issues could be made, including notifying the relevant local authority.</p><p>Young people in the hotels are supported by team leaders and support workers who are on site 24 hours a day. Further care is provided in hotels by teams of social workers and nurses.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 18/12/2023 12:23:47 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
	tabling member	4518 label Biography information for Tulip Siddiq

1676632

	registered interest
	date	08/12/2023
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Asylum: Children
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to ensure that unaccompanied child asylum seekers are provided healthcare.
	tabling member constituency	Hampstead and Kilburn
	tabling member printed	Tulip Siddiq
	uin	6028
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/12/2023 answer text <p>We maintain that the best place for these children to be accommodated is within local authority care. As part of the national transfer scheme, the receiving local authority must provide suitable support for all children being moved into their care, including health care, irrespective of the child’s immigration status.</p><p> </p><p>Asylum seekers have access to health and social care services from the point of arrival in the UK. The Home Office and its contractors work closely with the NHS, local authorities and non-governmental organisations to ensure that people can access the healthcare and support they need.</p><p> </p><p>All accommodation providers, including those who were responsible for the unaccompanied asylum seeking children hotels that were previously set up and run by the Home Office, have a contractual duty to assist people in accessing the health care they need.</p><p> </p><p>The Home Office also operates a Safeguarding Hub to support vulnerable individuals in accessing these services. In addition, the Home Office contracts Migrant Help to provide advice and guidance to asylum seekers should they have an issue with their accommodation or support, and for signposting to health and welfare services. Asylum seekers can access Migrant Help 24/7, every day of the year by a freephone telephone number, via an online chat or completing an email enquiry form both of which can be accessed free of charge on the Migrant Help website. Interpreting and translation services are available through Migrant Help when the need arises for asylum seekers to raise any queries or concerns.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 18/12/2023 11:25:41 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
	tabling member	4518 label Biography information for Tulip Siddiq

1676634

	registered interest
	date	08/12/2023
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Asylum: Children
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to ensure that local authorities have adequate resources to support unaccompanied asylum-seeking children in their care.
	tabling member constituency	Hampstead and Kilburn
	tabling member printed	Tulip Siddiq
	uin	6030
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/12/2023 answer text <p>The safety and welfare of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children is our utmost priority. We recognise that providing care placements for them is a national issue that requires participation from local authorities across the UK. We continue to work alongside other government departments, devolved administrations, and local authority representatives, to ensure this vulnerable group of children have timely access to the statutory placements that local authorities must provide.</p><p>Local authorities receive funding to support Children’s Social Care through the Local Government Finance Settlement, and finance arrangements which apply to the devolved administrations. In addition, the Home Office also provides funding contributions to the costs incurred by local government in looking after unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and former UASC care leavers.</p><p> </p><p>The Home Office has also introduced our new Incentivised Funding Programme for 2023-24 which provides £6,000 for every unaccompanied child moved within 5 working days either from a UASC hotel, or from Kent County Council.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 18/12/2023 12:26:22 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
	tabling member	4518 label Biography information for Tulip Siddiq

1676636

	registered interest
	date	08/12/2023
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Asylum: Children
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what processes his Department has in place to help protect unaccompanied children seeking asylum who have been victims of (a) rape, (b) sexual assault and (c) sexual exploitation.
	tabling member constituency	Hampstead and Kilburn
	tabling member printed	Tulip Siddiq
	uin	6032
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/12/2023 answer text <p>We maintain that the best place for these children to be accommodated is within local authority care where they can receive the most appropriate support based on their individual needs.</p><p> </p><p>We had robust safeguarding procedures in place to ensure all young people who were temporarily accommodated in Home Office run hotels were safe and supported as we sought urgent placements with a local authority.</p><p> </p><p>Young people were supported by team leaders and support workers who were on site 24 hours a day. Further care was provided in hotels by teams of social workers and nurses. All contingency sites had security staff on site 24/7 and providers liaised closely with local police to ensure the welfare and safety of vulnerable residents.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 18/12/2023 11:49:06 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
	tabling member	4518 label Biography information for Tulip Siddiq

1676638

	registered interest
	date	08/12/2023
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Asylum: Children
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps his Department is taking to locate the unaccompanied children seeking asylum who have gone missing from their accommodation.
	tabling member constituency	Hampstead and Kilburn
	tabling member printed	Tulip Siddiq
	uin	6034
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/12/2023 answer text <p>The wellbeing of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children is our priority. We maintain that the best place for these children to be accommodated is within local authority care.</p><p> </p><p>There are currently no unaccompanied children in hotels and unaccompanied children’s hotel accommodation has been empty since 18 November 2023. Of the 7 hotels which were operational in 2022, 6 of those were closed permanently on 30 November 2023.</p><p><br> We take the safety of those in our care seriously.  We have robust safeguarding procedures in place to ensure all young people in emergency interim hotels were safe and supported as we sought urgent placements with a local authority.</p><p> </p><p>Police forces are responsible for locating missing children, in their region, in line with standard processes for any missing child in the UK.</p><p> </p><p>When children who were provided with emergency Home Office accommodation went missing the MARS (Missing After Reasonable Steps) protocol was followed. The local authority works with multiple agencies to establish the young person's whereabouts and to ensure that they are safe.</p><p> </p><p>Children staying in the Home Office hotels were supported by team leaders and support workers who were on site 24 hours a day. Further care was provided in hotels by teams of social workers and nurses. All contingency sites had security staff on site 24/7 and providers liaised closely with local police to ensure the welfare and safety of vulnerable residents.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 18/12/2023 12:27:55 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
	tabling member	4518 label Biography information for Tulip Siddiq

1675395

	registered interest
	date	05/12/2023
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Asylum: Children
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the correspondence of 5 April 2023 from the Children’s Commissioner to the Secretary of State entitled Statutory information request on Home Office accommodation of children seeking asylum, on how many of the variables listed in the data summary his Department holds data for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children.
	tabling member constituency	East Ham
	tabling member printed	Sir Stephen Timms
	uin	5146
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/12/2023 answer text <p>In relation to the Children’s Commissioners correspondence, for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) who have been accommodated in hotels, the Home Office holds data on all variables outlined in the ‘data request summary’ excluding variable 8 and 23.</p><p>There were elements of the data requested which were not held in an electronically retrievable form and would have required the manual check of over 5,000 records. The Home Office were unable to provide all of the data as it would have required a high level of manual resource to obtain at a time of high operation demands. The Home Office did reach out to the Children’s Commissioners office in May 2023 to offer an alternative option to enable the commissioner to review children’s records, although this offer was turned down.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 11/12/2023 11:16:58 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
	tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms