Source · Select Committees · Home Affairs Committee
Recommendation 47
47
Accepted
While Mears affirms that the dispersal of individuals from Urban House on 10 July without...
Conclusion
While Mears affirms that the dispersal of individuals from Urban House on 10 July without testing, even after cases of Covid-19 were confirmed in the facility, was in line with the national system, we are deeply concerned that the company acted in this manner apparently without thought for the consequences of dispersing these individuals into other communities, and without consulting the receiving authorities. Mears’ commitment to participate in a lessons learned exercise is helpful. However this is not the first time during the pandemic that it has been reported that Mears has moved large numbers of asylum seekers from one location to another in a rush, without consulting local authorities or ensuring proper support is in place, and we are consequently very concerned about the quality of planning and decision making within the group. (Paragraph 202) Home Office preparedness for COVID-19 (Coronavirus): institutional accommodation 61
Government response summary AI-generated
The government acknowledges the concerns, states that Mears has apologised for communication shortcomings during moves from Urban House, and commits to taking appropriate action to support providers in managing future dispersals and outbreaks.
Government Response
The government responded to this report on 13 November 2020. No passage in that response could be matched to this conclusion. Read the response document ↗