Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 22
22
We asked the Department how it ensured the safety and security of asylum seekers who...
Conclusion
We asked the Department how it ensured the safety and security of asylum seekers who are housed in hotels, particularly given the public interest that this can attract. The Department said that it worked with its providers when they raised concerns relating to the security of service users, and engaged with them on how they are responding. The Department told us that it was aware that there had been protests from far-right organisations at some hotels housing asylum seekers, but it was not tracking the number of incidents.60 We received written evidence from Hull City Council, which told us that managing the risks of asylum seekers in hotels, including from far-right protests and 53 Qq 51–54 54 ASY0011 - Health and well-being themes for Initial Accommodation residents in Birmingham 55 Q 79 56 Q 128 57 Q 70; C&AG’s Report, paras 10, 19 58 ASY0003 - British Refugee Council 59 ASY0002 - Doctors of the World 60 Qq 63–65, 67 16 Asylum accommodation and support transformation programme COVID-19, placed additional pressures on local partners at a time when they are already overstretched.61 We asked what the Department was doing to manage the pressures this places on other services such as the police. The Department told us that on security issues, providers will work with local police forces. But it said it was not working with the police nationally to consider the risks and issues arising from hotel usage.62
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
6.2 The welfare of service users is of the utmost importance to the department. The department does not believe that the wide range of activities which are required to safeguard service users would be susceptible of meaningful capture by a key performance indicator and has instead taken the approach of working closely with its providers and stakeholders to develop a safeguarding assurance framework. In addition to the more established channels of communication with stakeholders, a joint safeguarding board is in place between the department and its providers to oversee progress on all aspects of safeguarding work, a national safeguarding forum has been established with local authorities to discuss safeguarding across the contracts and help develop and share best practice, and local safeguarding groups will be held in each contract region, bringing together police, local authorities, health authorities and other partners to ensure safeguarding obligations are met within localities.