Twenty-Fifth Report - Asylum accommodation and support transformation programme

The government accepted the recommendation with a target date of February 2021, committing to reduce hotel use by procuring more dispersed accommodation and accelerating procurement plans, while also moving people with concluded asylum claims out of accommodation.

The government agrees with the committee's finding and is considering a wide range of options for future accommodation models, improving current contract operations, and managing existing contracts closely to recover from pandemic impacts. Decisions on future changes will be made within recommended timelines.

The government accepted the recommendation with a target date of February 2021, confirming it is developing a safeguarding assurance framework in collaboration with providers and stakeholders. It outlined the establishment of a joint safeguarding board, a national safeguarding forum with local authorities, and local safeguarding groups.

The government agrees and plans to restart paused "open book accounting" work in 2021. It is also strengthening contract management by revising structures, developing robust operating procedures, and improving information capture and sharing based on external expert advice.

The government agrees and plans to restart paused "open book accounting" work in 2021. It is also strengthening contract management by revising structures, developing robust operating procedures, and improving information capture and sharing based on external expert advice.

The department agrees to greater transparency, stating it is already sharing summary performance data and developing customer experience surveys, data analysis, and a customer insight dashboard for stakeholders. It is also working with local authorities to define and deliver further data sharing.

The government is committed to reducing and ending hotel accommodation by procuring more dispersed accommodation, engaging local authorities, and accelerating procurement plans. It is currently assessing the rate of reduction and expected timescale for eliminating regular hotel use.

The government is committed to reducing and ending routine hotel use by procuring more dispersed accommodation and moving on those whose asylum claims are concluded, while currently assessing the rate and timescale for eliminating regular hotel use.

The government acknowledges that established engagement mechanisms have not always met stakeholder needs, especially during the pandemic. It has taken steps to improve engagement, is consulting stakeholders, conducting lessons learned exercises, and will reflect this in a new Directorate Engagement Strategy.

The government agrees with the committee's finding and, in response, is taking steps to improve engagement with stakeholders and local partners through consultation, lessons learned exercises, and the development of a Directorate Engagement Strategy to address identified shortcomings.