Housing and Community Integration

Housing, Communities and Local Government – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 18 June 2018.

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Photo of Tommy Sheppard Tommy Sheppard Shadow SNP Spokesperson (Cabinet Office), Shadow SNP Spokesperson (House of Lords), Shadow SNP Spokesperson (Scotland) 12:00, 18 June 2018

What steps he is taking to provide people who have recently been granted asylum with support for housing and community integration.

Photo of Nigel Adams Nigel Adams The Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

On 8 June, the Department announced £1.75 million to help new refugees by funding 35 offices in 19 areas of England with some of the highest numbers of asylum seekers. This will support people granted asylum into housing, learning and work. The Department is very keen to share this learning widely, including with the devolved Administrations.

Photo of Tommy Sheppard Tommy Sheppard Shadow SNP Spokesperson (Cabinet Office), Shadow SNP Spokesperson (House of Lords), Shadow SNP Spokesperson (Scotland)

The Government’s consultation report, “Integrated Communities”, said that the Government will

“work with civil society and others to increase the integration support available to those recognised as refugees after arrival in the UK.”

What specific measures are being taken to ensure that newly recognised refugees get the same support as resettled refugees?

Photo of Nigel Adams Nigel Adams The Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Funding for the pilot programmes is drawn from the controlling migration fund, which has no remit to finance the devolved Administrations, as funding is devolved in this area. The pilot programmes are now recruiting staff and getting their programmes up and running. The pilots will run for two years. They are funded in the first year by my Department and in the second year by the council itself.