Every parliamentary written question tabled by David Simmonds this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 101–120 of 163 · Home Office
Pursuant to the Answer of 12 March 2025 to Question 35311 on Asylum: Health Services, whether any local authorities have commissioned independent health sector providers to provide health care to asylum seekers using central government funding in the last 12 months.
The Home Office does not hold this information.
With reference to page 75 of the Home Office annual report and accounts 2024-25, published in July 2025, HC1133, how many (a) contracted asylum hotels, (b) people residing in asylum hotels, (c) people residing in a individual asylum hotel on average there were in (i) 2023-24 and (ii) 2024-25.
Since coming into office this Government is delivering on its pledge to close asylum hotels; drastically reducing taxpayer costs and giving control back to local communities. This Government is committed to ending the use of hotels to house asylum seekers by the end of the Parliament.Data on the number of supported asylum seekers in accommodation, including hotels, and by local authority can be found within the Asy_D11 tab for our most recent statistics release: Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK.
Whether she plans to narrow the definition of family member in relation to immigration and asylum policy.
I refer the Hon Member to the Statement made to the House by the Home Secretary on 1 September 2025.
With reference to page 234 of the Home Office annual report and accounts 2024-25, published in July 2025, HC1133, how much the UK (a) contributes to and (b) receives from the EU Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund.
The United Kingdom no longer participates in the EU Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund.
How much funding was allocated for English for Speakers of Other Languages provision by her Department in 2024-25; what the budget is for 2025-26; and what proportion in each case was allocated as grants to local authorities.
Please refer to the 4th of July response from the former Minister for Children and Families, Janet Daby MP, for more detail on how ESOL is funded [UIN 63247].
Whether her Department has provided (a) funding and (b) guidance to (i) private contractors and (b) local authorities for the provision of free TV licences to people seeking asylum.
I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave to Question 65010.
Pursuant to the Answers of 30 May to Question 52709 on Police: Elections and of 2 May to Question 47267 on Cambridgeshire Constabulary: Domestic Visits, what assessment she has made of the compatibility of speeches made by the (a) Home Secretary and (b) Prime Minister at Cambridgeshire Police Headquarters on 10 April 2025 with the National Police Chief’s Council pre-election guidance on impartiality.
The National Police Chiefs’ Council is independent of government, and any assessment of compliance with its guidance on any subject would be for the NPCC to make.
Pursuant to the Answer of 24 June 2025 to Question 60081 on Asylum: Housing, what her policy for housing asylum seekers in hostels which have been converted from hotels via change of use is.
The Home Office continues to work with a range of stakeholders to fulfil its legal obligations, whilst delivering on this Government’s commitment to reduce the overall cost of asylum accommodation, including ending the use of hotels by the end of this Parliament.
Whether her plans to remove asylum seekers from hotel accommodation extends to (a) hostels and (b) other types of communal accommodation.
The Home Office continues to work with a range of stakeholders to fulfil its legal obligations, whilst delivering on this Government’s commitment to reduce the overall cost of asylum accommodation, including ending the use of hotels by the end of this Parliament.
Pursuant to the Answer of 30 May to Question 52625 on Travellers: Caravan Sites, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of unauthorised traveller encampments on operational policing, in the context of the High Court judgement of May 2024.
The judgment is being reviewed in detail. Engagement has taken place with the National Police Chiefs’ Council.
Pursuant to the Answer of 23 June 2025 to Question 59362 on Asylum: Housing, if she will place a copy of the template Asylum Accommodation Service Contracts in the Library.
The Asylum Accommodation and Support Contracts are already published and available on Contracts Finder as follows: Wales AASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract Wales - Contracts Finder South AASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract South - Contracts Finder North West AASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract NW - Contracts Finder Midlands & Eastern England AASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract MEE - Contracts Finder North East Yorks & Humber AASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract NEYH - Contracts Finder Scotland AASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract Scotland - Contracts Finder Northern Ireland AASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract NI - Contracts Finder
Pursuant to the Answer of 23 June 2025 to Question 59362 on Asylum: Housing, whether local authorities have a veto on the use of specific properties for asylum accommodation.
I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave on 23 June to Question 59362.
How much funding her Department plans to provide to local authorities to (a) house and (b) build housing for (i) asylum seekers and (ii) refugees in each financial year to 2029‑30.
The Home Office publishes information on asylum expenditure in the Home Office Annual Report and Accounts at Home Office annual reports and accounts - GOV.UK.
How many and what proportion of small boat arrivals were (a) children, (b) babies and (c) women in the most recent period for which data is available.
The Home Office publishes statistics on detected irregular arrivals to the UK in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on small boat arrivals by age group and sex is published in table Irr_D01 of the ‘Irregular migration to the UK detailed datasets’, with the latest data up to the end of March 2025.
With reference to the Spending Review 2025, published on 11 June 2025, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of closing all asylum hotels in this Parliament on local authorities.
The Home Office continues to work with a range of stakeholders and consider a range of options to fulfil its legal obligations and deliver its commitment to reduce the overall cost of asylum accommodation, and to end the use of hotels by the end of Parliament.Current accommodation funding arrangements are published on GOV.UK: Asylum Dispersal Grant: funding instruction Asylum Dispersal Grant: funding instruction - GOV.UK
With reference to the Spending Review 2025, published on 11 June 2025, whether her Department has received representations from local authorities on the potential impact of closing all asylum hotels in this Parliament on local authorities.
The Home Office continues to work with a range of stakeholders and consider a range of options to fulfil its legal obligations and deliver its commitment to reduce the overall cost of asylum accommodation, and to end the use of hotels by the end of Parliament.Current accommodation funding arrangements are published on GOV.UK: Asylum Dispersal Grant: funding instruction Asylum Dispersal Grant: funding instruction - GOV.UK
With reference to the Spending Review 2025, published on 11 June 2025, whether she has had recent discussions with the Home Secretary on the closure of all asylum hotels in this Parliament.
The Home Office continues to work with a range of stakeholders and consider a range of options to fulfil its legal obligations and deliver its commitment to reduce the overall cost of asylum accommodation, and to end the use of hotels by the end of Parliament.Current accommodation funding arrangements are published on GOV.UK: Asylum Dispersal Grant: funding instruction Asylum Dispersal Grant: funding instruction - GOV.UK
With reference to the Spending Review 2025, published on 11 June 2025, how much funding her Department plans to provide to local authorities to help support the closure of all asylum hotels in this Parliament.
The Home Office continues to work with a range of stakeholders and consider a range of options to fulfil its legal obligations and deliver its commitment to reduce the overall cost of asylum accommodation, and to end the use of hotels by the end of Parliament.Current accommodation funding arrangements are published on GOV.UK: Asylum Dispersal Grant: funding instruction Asylum Dispersal Grant: funding instruction - GOV.UK
With reference to the Spending Review 2025, published on 11 June 2025, what financial support her Department will provide to local authorities to mitigate the impact of closing asylum hotels.
The Home Office continues to work with a range of stakeholders and consider a range of options to fulfil its legal obligations and deliver upon its commitment to reduce the overall cost of asylum accommodation, and to end the use of hotels by the end of this Parliament.Current accommodation funding arrangements are published on GOV.UK: Asylum Dispersal Grant: funding instruction Asylum Dispersal Grant: funding instruction - GOV.UK.
Whether she has received recent representations from London boroughs on the provision of additional funding to house asylum seekers following the reduction in hotel accommodation for asylum seekers around Heathrow Airport.
The Home Office continues to work with a range of stakeholders and consider a range of options to fulfil its legal obligations and deliver upon the commitment to reduce the overall cost of asylum accommodation, and to end the use of hotels over time.Current accommodation funding arrangements are published on GOV.UK: Asylum Dispersal Grant: funding instruction Asylum Dispersal Grant: funding instruction - GOV.UK