Written questions by Cleverly.

What formal arrangements exist between (a) the Home Office, (b) the NHS and (c) Braintree Community Hospital for (i) scanning and (ii) x-rays of asylum seekers at Wethersfield Airbase.

Asylum seekers have access to health and social care services from point of arrival in the UK and the Home Office work closely with the NHS, local authorities and contractors to ensure that asylum seekers can access the support they need. In relation to Wethersfield, financial support is being provided to the NHS Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board.There are varying entitlements to secondary healthcare services across England and the devolved governments. Specific examples can be found on NHS entitlements: migrant health guide - GOV.UK.Extensive work has been undertaken with local and national health partners including the Multi Agency Forum (MAF) to work through the specifics of healthcare provision being provided at Wethersfield. The health and social care subgroup of the MAF was set up specifically to look at how we minimise the impact on local health services and facilitate primary healthcare on site, However, in specific circumstances, residents can be required to use local NHS facilities.

When she plans to respond to the letter from the Rt hon. Member for Braintree of 8 September 2025 on Wethersfield.

I apologise to my Rt Hon friend for the delay. He will receive a response by 28 October 2025.

If she will make it her policy to allow all licensed pubs and restaurants to provide (a) off-sales and (b) take-away pints.

The Government recognises the important role that pubs and restaurants play in local communities and the wider economy. The temporary easement introduced during the pandemic, which allowed on-trade premises to provide off-sales without a variation, expired on 31 March 2025.Businesses wishing to offer off-sales or takeaway pints can apply to vary their existing premises licence through existing processes under the Licensing Act 2003 for £89. New licence applicants already have the ability to request a license for both ‘on’ and ‘off’ sales at no additional cost.

With reference to the press release entitled Red tape slashed to revamp high streets with new cafes and bars, published on 26 July 2025, whether she plans to amend the statutory guidance entitled Revised guidance issued under section 182 of the Licensing Act 2003 (February 2025), published on 27 February 2025.

On 31 July, the Government published a report by a Licensing Taskforce which explored how we may deliver a more proportionate, consistent and transparent licensing regime with the aim of boosting growth.The Government response, published alongside the Taskforce report, accepted the majority of the Taskforce’s priority recommendations, subject to further work and engagement, including consultation where required.That work is now underway and will include consideration of any changes to the guidance issued under Section 182 of the Licensing Act 2003 that may be required.

Whether she plans to inform (a) Parliament and (b) the local community prior to any changes to the agreed cap on the number of asylum seekers at the Wethersfield site.

Any updates on the future use of the Wethersfield site will be announced in the normal way, and representatives of the local community, including the Rt Hon Gentleman, will also be informed of any such updates.

Whether she plans to retain existing restrictions on the number of asylum seekers housed at the former RAF Wethersfield site.

Any updates on the future use of the Wethersfield site will be announced in the normal way, and representatives of the local community, including the Rt Hon Gentleman, will also be informed of any such updates.

Whether she plans to propose an extension to the commissioning date of the Asylum Reception Centre at the former RAF Wethersfield.

Any updates on the future use of the Wethersfield site will be announced in the normal way, and representatives of the local community, including the Rt Hon Gentleman, will also be informed of any such updates.

When her Department plans to close the Asylum Reception Centre at the former RAF Wethersfield site; and what steps she is taking to ensure that the decommissioning is within the timescale outlined in the Special Development Order.

Any updates on the future use of the site will be announced in the normal way.

What steps her Department is taking to reduce small boat crossings.

I refer the Rt Hon Gentleman to the Statements made by the Home Secretary when moving the Border Security Asylum and Immigration Bill for its second reading on 10 February 2025, and when reporting on the UK’s hosting of the Organised Immigration Crime summit on 31 March 2025.

What recent estimate she has made of the total cost of providing accommodation for asylum seekers in hotels in each of the next five years; and what these costs were in each of the past five years.

The Home Office publishes information on asylum expenditure in the Home Office Annual Report and Accounts at HO annual reports and accounts - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

What discussions she has had with her international counterparts on third-country processing arrangements for people seeking to claim asylum in the UK.

The Government will continue to work with international partners to tackle the global migration crisis. The Home Secretary has convened an international summit focussed on Organised Immigration Crime, bringing together Interior ministers and law enforcement experts from across the world to develop our combined response to the gangs who facilitate this vile trade in human lives.

How many asylum seekers who have had their applications rejected have been deported from the UK since July 2024; and what steps is she taking to increase such deportations in the next six months.

The Home Office has recently published the number of asylum related returns between 05 July 2024 and 22 March 2025 in Returns from the UK from 5 July 2024 to 22 March 2025 - GOV.UK.

With reference to her Oral Statement of 22 July 2024 on Border Security and Asylum, Official Report, columns 384-387, how many people who would have been eligible for (a) processing and (b) relocation to Rwanda have remained in the UK.

I refer the Rt Hon Gentleman to the Statement form the Home Secretary on 22 July 2024, to which this question refers, and which explains the fundamental flaw in the premise of his question, namely that – during his own time as Home Secretary, he was unable to establish a way to make the Rwanda scheme operational, and as such, the categories referred to in this question do not exist.Nevertheless, the Rt Hon Gentleman will be pleased to note that – since coming to office – this Government has ensured the removal of more than 24,000 people with no right to be in the UK, the highest nine-month total for returns since January to September in 2017.

Whether she has made an assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the potential merits of raising the minimum income requirement for family visas.

The Family Immigration Rules, including the MIR, need to balance a respect for family life whilst also ensuring the economic wellbeing of the UK is maintained.Under the previous government net migration reached a record high. We have paused the current MIR threshold and commissioned the Migration Advisory Committee to review the financial requirements in the Family Immigration Rules. This will ensure we have a solid evidence base for any further changes. The previous government did not commission the MAC when increasing the MIR to £29,000 in April last year despite the Supreme Court referring to the MAC Review undertaken to support the introduction of the MIR when determining the MIR was lawful.

Whether she plans to shut down the asylum reception centre at the former RAF Wethersfield.

Any decisions on the future use of Wethersfield will be made in due course and announced in the normal way.

Whether she plans to consult with the local community before any changes to the cap on the number of asylum seekers at the Asylum Reception Centre at the former RAF Wethersfield are made.

Occupancy at the Wethersfield site is currently capped at 580 as part of the Special Development Order. This means that during current operation of the site, the population will not exceed 580.Once the relevant Special Development Order conditions have been discharged, regular occupancy will be capped at 800. The number of residents on the site at any one time is likely to vary due to a number of factors, including individuals having moved to onward dispersed accommodation while their claims are being considered.In addition to verbal updates given at various engagement forums with key stakeholders and partners the Wethersfield: Factsheet is revised regularly and updated to provide relevant information to the community.

Whether she plans to maintain the cap on the number of asylum seekers at the Asylum Reception Centre at the former RAF Wethersfield.

Occupancy at the Wethersfield site is currently capped at 580 as part of the Special Development Order. This means that during current operation of the site, the population will not exceed 580.Once the relevant Special Development Order conditions have been discharged, regular occupancy will be capped at 800. The number of residents on the site at any one time is likely to vary due to a number of factors, including individuals having moved to onward dispersed accommodation while their claims are being considered.In addition to verbal updates given at various engagement forums with key stakeholders and partners the Wethersfield: Factsheet is revised regularly and updated to provide relevant information to the community.

How many incidents of disorder there were at the Asylum Reception Centre at the former RAF Wethersfield between 1 July and 1 October 2024.

The safety and security of the local communities, the staff and those accommodated on the sites are of the utmost importance, with a specialist and experienced provider of security services permanently on site.We also work closely and routinely with Essex Police to ensure appropriate security arrangements are in place. The Home Office also continues to engage regularly with representatives from the Council, the NHS, the Police, and local partners to address the concerns of those most impacted by the site and to keep them informed.During the period 1 July to 1 October 2024, there has been one incident of disorder on site at Wethersfield.

Whether she has made changes to the Special Development Order on the Asylum Reception Centre at former RAF Wethersfield since 1 July 2024.

The Special Development Order (SDO) was laid in Parliament by the previous Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 21 March 2024 and it came into force on 11 April 2024. No changes have been made to the SDO but work to discharge the conditions in the current SDO is ongoing.

What criteria she used to close the Bibby Stockholm; and whether she will apply those criteria to the Asylum Reception Centre at former RAF Wethersfield.

We are determined to reduce asylum accommodation costs, which reached record levels under the previous government, and decisions on individual sites are made on a case by case basis with that objective in mind will save an estimated £7 billion for the taxpayer over the next ten years and are delivering a major uplift in returns to remove people with no right to be in the UK.