Written questions by Cocking.

How many properties have been procured by (a) her Department and (b) contracted companies to serve as dispersal housing for asylum seekers in Broxbourne constituency.

The Home Office does not publish detailed information on the location of asylum accommodation sites for safety and security reasons. Data, published quarterly, on the number of supported asylum seekers in accommodation can be found within the Asy_D11 tab of our most recent statistics release. The data can broken down by local authority rather than by constituency. Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK.The Home Office, and its accommodation providers, take into account a range of issues when considering the suitability for dispersed accommodation. Local authorities are consulted on bedspaces before they are procured.

Whether the proximity of (a) schools and (b) other youth facilities is taken into account when procuring dispersal accommodation.

The Home Office does not publish detailed information on the location of asylum accommodation sites for safety and security reasons. Data, published quarterly, on the number of supported asylum seekers in accommodation can be found within the Asy_D11 tab of our most recent statistics release. The data can broken down by local authority rather than by constituency. Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK.The Home Office, and its accommodation providers, take into account a range of issues when considering the suitability for dispersed accommodation. Local authorities are consulted on bedspaces before they are procured.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the effectiveness of the deterrent effect of immediate deportation for foreign nationals convicted of criminal offences.

The removal of Foreign National Offenders (FNOs) is a priority of this Government, which is why we are introducing new measures to enable the earlier removal of determinate sentenced FNOs as soon after sentencing as possible.Deportation is a significant punishment and it is beneficial for us to deport FNOs as quickly as possible to protect the public, reduce pressures on prison capacity and mitigate the associated expense to the taxpayer. Once removed they will be barred from ever returning.

How many holders of a compulsory basic training certificate do not complete a (a) moped and (b) motorcycle test within two years.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) does not hold precise data on the proportion of riders who complete CBT and subsequently progress to a full motorcycle license within the two-year validity period of their CBT certificate. In the financial year 2023/24 180,425 certificates were sold to the motorcycle training industry, in the same period 39,935 riders passed their on road motorcycle test.Enforcement of the licensing laws and riding standards are matters for individual police forces.

What steps she is taking to enforce the requirement that riders of (a) motorcycles and (b) mopeds hold a valid compulsory basic training certificate.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) does not hold precise data on the proportion of riders who complete CBT and subsequently progress to a full motorcycle license within the two-year validity period of their CBT certificate. In the financial year 2023/24 180,425 certificates were sold to the motorcycle training industry, in the same period 39,935 riders passed their on road motorcycle test.Enforcement of the licensing laws and riding standards are matters for individual police forces.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of using dispersal accommodation for asylum seekers on the availability of housing for British citizens.

Under the Immigration Act of 1999, any government has a legal obligation to provide accommodation to asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute.The Home Office and its accommodation providers work closely with local authorities across the country to ensure that local context, expertise and intelligence informs decision making regarding suitability of dispersed accommodation. Full Dispersal facilitates the procurement of dispersed accommodation in a fair, balanced and controlled manner.The Home Office remains committed to working collaboratively with local authorities to ensure that any potential impact on local communities and areas are understood and minimised.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of accommodating asylum seekers with unknown or unverifiable criminal histories on public safety.

The Home Office has a legal obligation to accommodate asylum seekers where they would otherwise be destitute. All asylum seekers undergo checks against policing and immigration databases.Decisions on allocation of asylum seekers to accommodation are made with case-by-case consideration of an individual’s circumstances and needs, in line with published policy. Safeguarding and welfare remain a priority, and the Home Office works closely with statutory partners where required.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of asylum accommodation on women's safety in those communities.

The safety and wellbeing of the local communities in which asylum accommodation is located is of paramount importance. The Home Office works in collaboration with local authorities and other partners to ensure that accommodation sites are successfully managed and the impact upon the local community is minimised. Any incident relating to security or community cohesion is reported to the Home Office immediately, so any necessary changes can be made as soon as possible.No one in the UK, including foreign nationals, asylum seekers or refugees, is above the law. Asylum seekers are clearly advised of the expectations the Home Office and accommodation providers have for them to behave responsibly while they are accommodated in Home Office properties and not to engage in any form of criminal or anti-social activity.This Government is also delivering a cross-government transformative approach to halve violence against women and girls, underpinned by a new VAWG strategy to be published this year.

Whether her Department records the number of repeat offenders within the asylum seeker population.

The information you have requested is not available from published statistics.The UK will always offer protection to those in genuine need, but we will not allow our asylum system to be exploited by those who commit crimes or endanger our communities.Any Foreign National who is convicted of a crime, including those seeking asylum, are referred to the Home Office for deportation immediately following sentencing and will be excluded from protection under the Refugee Convention if they have committed a ‘particularly serious crime’ as defined in Section 72 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002.The government has also toughened the definition of a ‘particularly serious crime’ to include all sexual offence convictions that trigger notification requirements through another BSAI Bill amendment announced earlier this year. For the first time, foreign nationals on the sex offenders’ register will be automatically denied refugee status.In the first year of this government over 35,000 individuals with no right to be here, including failed asylum seekers and foreign national offenders, have already been returned - a 13% increase compared to the same period 12 months prior.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of asylum seeker hotels on (a) local crime rates and (b) police resource allocation.

The safety and wellbeing of the local communities in which asylum accommodation is located is of paramount importance. The Home Office works in collaboration with local authorities and other partners to ensure that accommodation sites are successfully managed and the impact upon the local community is minimised.  Any incident relating to security or community cohesion is reported to the Home Office immediately, so any necessary changes can be made as soon as possible.No one in the UK, including foreign nationals, asylum seekers or refugees, is above the law.  Asylum seekers are clearly advised of the expectations the Home Office and accommodation providers have for them to behave responsibly while they are accommodated in Home Office properties and not to engage in any form of criminal or anti-social activity.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of asylum seekers on the safeguarding of children and young people.

All those who claim asylum undergo a series of security checks against immigration and police databases and are screened to identify individuals who may have been involved in criminality both in the UK and outside the UK or are of national security interest. Further information regarding security checks during the asylum screening process is available in published policy guidance on GOV.UK at: Screening and routing.docx (publishing.service.gov.uk). The Home Office takes the safety and welfare of all children extremely seriously and protecting vulnerable people is a cross-cutting departmental priority. Officials are constantly alert to any signs that a child is at risk of harm or abuse or may have been trafficked.The Home Office keeps all aspects of the immigration system under regular review, in consultation with a wide range of experts and stakeholders.

How much has been spent on providing dental care for asylum seekers in hotels in the last year.

The overall management of asylum seekers is a matter for the Home Office.The Department of Health and Social Care does not hold data on the expenditure on dental care provided to asylum seekers in hotels in the last year.

Communities and Local Government, whether mayors in (a) mayoral and (b) county combined authorities will have rights of veto.

The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, introduced to the House of Commons on 10 July 2025, makes provision to standardise voting arrangements for mayoral combined authorities and mayoral county combined authorities when making decisions. Unless prescribed otherwise, the standard voting arrangement will be a simple majority of the authority’s members voting and present, including the mayor. This means the mayor must be in the majority for a decision to pass.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to help tackle conditional selling by estate agents.

It is unacceptable for estate agents to withhold offers from sellers because the potential buyer declines to use their additional services. Where there is evidence of such practices, agents can face sanctions including a ban.The government is committed to protecting people from abuse and poor service at the hands of unscrupulous property agents and to improving estate agent standards more generally.The National Trading Standards Estate Agency Team (NTSEAT) is the lead estate agent enforcement authority. Alongside local authority Trading Standards teams, they are responsible for ensuring estate agents comply with the Estate Agents Act 1979 and other relevant legislation. NTSEAT have powers to issue warnings and banning orders against rogue agents. In cases of conditional selling, it is essential that any misconduct or manipulation in the offer process is reported to help build a clearer picture of the problem and support potential investigations.My Department engages regularly with NTSEAT to discuss how best to address specific issues, including conditional selling, and continue to look at options to improve standards across the estate agent sector.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 14 July 2025 to Question 65373 on Private Rented Housing: Licensing, whether the restrictions on using selective licensing revenues is in scope of the Fair Funding Review's consideration of flexibility on fees and charges.

As stated in the answer to Question UIN 65367 on 14 July 2025, selective licensing fees paid by landlords to local authorities should only be used to cover the costs of running schemes, and local authorities are not expected to profit, nor should they use licensing revenues to fund other local authority services.Through the Fair Funding Review 2.0, the government is consulting on proposals to review local authority fees and charges where they no longer recover the cost of delivery, and to consider where there is a case for updating or devolving the fee. We welcome views on this, including the scope of proposed reforms.

What her planned timetable is for each stage of (a) consulting on and (b) ratifying the updated Airports National Policy Statement.

The Government published a letter to potential promoters inviting proposals for a third runway at Heathrow to be brought forward by the summer. The government is now assessing the proposals against the criteria set out in the letter. Once this is complete the Government will review the Airports National Policy Statement (ANPS). We cannot speculate on the timings of the review at this stage, however when conducting the review, the Secretary of State will comply with the requirements in the Planning Act 2008, including consultation, publicity and parliamentary requirements.

Communities and Local Government, whether she consulted the Parliamentary Parties Panel on the policy paper entitled Restoring trust in our democracy: Our strategy for modern and secure elections, published on 17 July 2025.

The government has worked closely with its partners in local and devolved government, with the electoral sector, with education providers and civil society, and with citizens themselves in the development of the strategy for modern and secure elections. We will continue to engage with a range of stakeholders, including with political parties and sector representative organisations such as the Association of Electoral Administrators, to ensure these changes are delivered successfully.

Communities and Local Government, which (a) existing and (b) new combined mayoral elections will take place in May (i) 2026 and (ii) 2027.

The government announced on 17 July that we are taking forward all six places on the Devolution Priority Programme and establishing mayoral strategic authorities via secondary legislation. Subject to the consent of local councils, legislation will be brought before Parliament in order to establish institutions early in 2026. Inaugural Mayoral elections in Hampshire and the Solent, Greater Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk and Sussex and Brighton would be held in May 2026.Following requests by the local authority leaders of Cheshire & Warrington and Cumbria, we’ve agreed the inaugural mayoral elections for those two areas will take place in May 2027. No existing mayoral strategic authorities have elections in 2026 or 2027.

With reference to his Department's publication entitled Special adviser data releases: numbers and costs, July 2025, published on 17 July 2025, how much was Sue Gray’s salary.

The Annual Report for Special Advisers releases salary information for individuals in post as at 31 March 2025. We do not release salary details outside of this publication.

With reference to his Department's publication entitled Special adviser data releases: numbers and costs, July 2025, published on 17 July 2025, how much of severance costs in 2024-25 related to the severance payment made to Sue Gray.

In line with the Model Contract for Special Advisers which is published online and details the circumstances in which severance is payable, Baroness Gray was not eligible for a severance payment, therefore no such payment was made.