Source · Select Committees · Women and Equalities Committee
Fourth Report - Equality and the UK asylum process
Women and Equalities Committee
HC 93
Published 27 June 2023
Government response
Seventh Special Report - Equality and the UK asylum process: Government response to the Committee’s Fourth Report · published 19 Sep 2023
Recommendations & Conclusions
16
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Para 119
Substandard and unsanitary conditions in asylum accommodation continue, impacting vulnerable individuals.
Conclusion
Substandard conditions in asylum accommodation are unacceptable. No one should have to endure unsanitary conditions, particularly people who are vulnerable. The slow claim determination process means people can be stuck in poor accommodation for excessive periods leading to and exacerbating …
Read more
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges challenges in securing suitable accommodation for asylum seekers, reaffirms its commitment to decent standards, and states that it will take action, including financial penalties, where providers fail to meet these standards.
Government Equalities Office
View Details →
17
Recommendation
Acknowledged
Para 120
Ensure asylum accommodation contractors provide decent, safe standards and face penalties for failures.
Recommendation
The Home Office must do more to ensure contracted providers of asylum accommodation provide accommodation of a decent, safe standard and hold contractors to account with financial penalties when they fail to do so. The Home Office should enhance its …
Read more
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges challenges in securing suitable accommodation for asylum seekers, reaffirms its commitment to decent standards, and states that it will take action, including financial penalties, where providers fail to meet these standards.
Government Equalities Office
View Details →
18
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Para 127
Serious safeguarding issues, including hate crime, persist in asylum accommodation due to ineffective mechanisms.
Conclusion
We were disturbed to hear reports of serious safeguarding issues, including LGBT hate crime and violence against women, occurring in all types of asylum accommodation. Despite the asylum support contracts safeguarding framework, published in May 2022, many settings appear to …
Read more
Government Response Summary
The government states that the safety and wellbeing of asylum seekers is paramount and that they have measures in place to protect vulnerable individuals, including working with accommodation providers, having a safeguarding policy, training staff, and a dedicated safeguarding team.
Government Equalities Office
View Details →
20
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Para 133
Crowded contingency accommodation poses unacceptable safeguarding and equality risks for vulnerable asylum seekers.
Conclusion
Accommodation of asylum seekers with a range of vulnerabilities arising from protected characteristics, including single women, mothers, children and LGBT people, in crowded hotel and other contingency accommodation, including the recently acquired accommodation barges, is unacceptable from both safeguarding and …
Read more
Government Response Summary
The government states that the safety and wellbeing of asylum seekers is of paramount importance and that they have measures in place to protect vulnerable individuals, including working with accommodation providers, having a safeguarding policy, training staff, and a dedicated safeguarding team.
Government Equalities Office
View Details →