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Home Office

Answer

Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what account is taken of local (a) unemployment rates, (b) health services and (c) education provision in the designation of cluster areas and the allocation of asylum seekers to them; [159733] (2) how he intends to secure a fair and equitable dispersal of asylum seekers between areas designated and areas not designated as cluster areas; [159749] (3) what control (a) the local authority, (b) the Health Service and (c) the education authority have on the number of asylum seekers allocated to a cluster area; and how their views are taken into account; [159725] (4) if the Commission for Racial Equality is consulted about the dispersal of asylum seekers, the designation of cluster areas for their reception and the numbers sent to each area. [159726] Mrs. Roche: The National Asylum Support Service (NASS) conducts research to identify cluster areas. Information is received from the local authority led regional consortiums, voluntary groups and other organisations with an interest in asylum. There is a consultation process in place to seek advice from local health and education authorities. Any information received will be taken into account, and this can include information about unemployment rates, health services and education provision. The Commission for Racial Equality is consulted on specific issues. Ideally, NASS aims to establish cluster areas where there is suitable and available accommodation and where it would be possible to link with existing communities and to develop the support of voluntary and community groups. In some cases not all of the above criteria will be in place before asylum seekers are dispersed and it is recognised that some support structures are unlikely to develop until asylum seekers are actually located in an area. NASS is continuing its research to identify further cluster areas to ensure that dispersal is fair and equitable.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

367 c678-9W; 159733;159749;159725;159726

Session

2000-01

Subjects

Asylum Health services Public participation Location Refugees Temporary accommodation Unemployment

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk