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I want to begin by thanking Madam Deputy Speaker, my hon. Friend the Member for Sussex Weald (Ms Ghani), for securing a meeting with the Minister, local MPs, councillors and residents of Crowborough, where the Minister heard for himself reports of illegal working, groups of young men drinking on the street and the smuggling of alcohol on to the site. If the Government are to force this camp on people, the very least they can do is ensure that people there play by the rules. Can the Minister introduce breath testing and make it clear to anyone drinking on the site that if they are found to fail those tests, their asylum claim will be immediately thrown out?
I want to begin by thanking Madam Deputy Speaker, my hon. Friend the Member for Sussex Weald (Ms Ghani), for securing a meeting with the Minister, local MPs, councillors and residents of Crowborough, where the Minister heard for himself reports of illegal working, groups of young men drinking on the street and the smuggling of alcohol on to the site. If the Government are to force this camp on people, the very least they can do is ensure that people there play by the rules. Can the Minister introduce breath testing and make it clear to anyone drinking on the site that if they are found to fail those tests, their asylum claim will be immediately thrown out?
I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his question and his time, to Madam Deputy Speaker for her time and advocacy and indeed to the local councillors for their time. I was very concerned to hear the reports about those drinking off site. We are looking closely, as I have said to the hon. Gentleman, at ensuring that that does not happen. We already block merchant codes on Aspen cards to prevent it. We are talking about a relatively small amount of money—£9.95 each week—but we do not want to see that spent on alcohol. The sites themselves are alcohol-free. I am not quite sure that breath testing is the way that we need to enforce this, but I nevertheless share his vigour to stop it.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what (a) procedures and (b) mechanisms are in place to control entry and exit at the asylum accommodation site in Crowborough; and what guidance is issued to security staff on how to verify and differentiate between authorised individuals and visitors.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what (a) procedures and (b) mechanisms are in place to control entry and exit at the asylum accommodation site in Crowborough; and what guidance is issued to security staff on how to verify and differentiate between authorised individuals and visitors.
Clearsprings Ready Homes, an experienced specialist in asylum accommodation services, has been appointed by the Home Office to manage the site. They are responsible for ensuring the safe and secure operation of the accommodation and for providing wraparound support that meets the essential health and wellbeing needs of the asylum seekers.
Everyone entering or leaving sites are required to sign in and out at the front gate. This process is managed by the service provider’s security team and overseen by the Home Office Oversight and Assurance team, who are also based on site.
Awareness of authorised individuals is provided to the security team who maintain specific entry and exit logs for each organisation operating on-site. A separate visitor log is also kept, with Home Office and/or Provider approved visitors captured on specific dates. Anyone attending site not recorded on the authorised individuals or visitors log will be turned away.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of individuals accommodated at the asylum site in Crowborough at its opening remain in residence; and what proportion have subsequently left, including through relocation, grant of status, or removal.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of individuals accommodated at the asylum site in Crowborough at its opening remain in residence; and what proportion have subsequently left, including through relocation, grant of status, or removal.
The Home Office does not give a live commentary on the number of asylum seekers accommodated at accommodation sites.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what (a) recreational, (b) leisure and (c) community activities are provided to asylum seekers housed at Crowborough Training Camp; what funding is allocated for such activities; and which organisations are responsible for delivering them.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what (a) recreational, (b) leisure and (c) community activities are provided to asylum seekers housed at Crowborough Training Camp; what funding is allocated for such activities; and which organisations are responsible for delivering them.
The Home Office engages with Voluntary Community Sector (VCS) organisations to provide activities on-site for residents. VCS organisations currently deliver football training sessions as well as percussion music workshops on-site and, following success elsewhere, on-site gardening projects are also being considered.
The Clearsprings Ready Homes (CRH) Activity Coordinators facilitate sporting activities on-site, delivering a range of indoor and outdoor activities for asylum seekers.
On-site activity is a crucial part of orderly management and ensuring the sites are as self-sufficient as possible.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the value for money of using Crowborough Training Camp to accommodate asylum seekers.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the value for money of using Crowborough Training Camp to accommodate asylum seekers.
All large sites used for asylum accommodation are part of the Asylum Accommodation Programme which is part of the Government Major Projects Portfolio (GMPP) and, as such, are required to publish Accounting Officer Advice summaries on GOV.UK, with the most recent having been published in November 2025.
We have improved our understanding of project costings by referencing actuals from previous sites such as Wethersfield, enabling more accurate budgeting and financial planning.
We are confident that the level of due diligence carried out on sites has improved and that value for money assessments take place at the appropriate stage.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to establish a community liaison group, to be attended by the Home Office and representatives of residents, including local MPs, councillors, Crowborough Shield & other community organisations, in relation to her department’s usage of Crowborough Training Camp...
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to establish a community liaison group, to be attended by the Home Office and representatives of residents, including local MPs, councillors, Crowborough Shield & other community organisations, in relation to her department’s usage of Crowborough Training Camp...
The Home Office has been and continues regular engagement with representatives from the local authority, the NHS, the Police, and local partners, via the Multi Agency Forum and its sub-groups. Regular meetings with the office of the local MP, Parish councillors, the Voluntary Community Sector and non-government organisations are commencing.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate her Department has made of the average cost of accommodating an asylum seeker at (a) Crowborough Training Camp and (b) other hotels.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate her Department has made of the average cost of accommodating an asylum seeker at (a) Crowborough Training Camp and (b) other hotels.
Military sites are being considered for asylum accommodation, with the aim of reducing the impact on communities and delivering better outcomes for taxpayers.
We are confident that the level of due diligence carried out on sites has improved, and that value for money assessments take place at the appropriate stage.
Costs will be included in the Departments Annual Report and Accounts in the normal way.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the next intake of asylum seekers are expected to arrive at the Crowborough Training Camp.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the next intake of asylum seekers are expected to arrive at the Crowborough Training Camp.
The Home Office does not give a live commentary on the number of asylum seekers accommodated at accommodation sites.
Site occupancy will be increased via a phased and incremental approach to full occupancy.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers have left the site and not returned whilst accommodated at the Crowborough Training Camp.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers have left the site and not returned whilst accommodated at the Crowborough Training Camp.
Asylum seekers at the site are not detained, however the site is self-contained as essential services are provided on site to reduce the impact on local services through reducing the need for asylum seekers to leave the site.
The Home Office does not give a live commentary on the number of asylum seekers accommodated at accommodation sites.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers are accommodated at Crowborough Training Camp.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers are accommodated at Crowborough Training Camp.
The Home Office does not give a live commentary on the number of asylum seekers accommodated at accommodation sites.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether asylum seekers accommodated at Crowborough Training Camp are free to leave the site; and whether restrictions are placed on their movement into Crowborough and surrounding areas.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether asylum seekers accommodated at Crowborough Training Camp are free to leave the site; and whether restrictions are placed on their movement into Crowborough and surrounding areas.
In accordance with current legislation, people with a valid pending claim for asylum are permitted to remain in the UK while their claim is being processed, and as they have permission to remain in the UK during that time, they cannot be routinely detained. Detention is primarily used to facilitate removal of those who have no lawful right to remain in the UK, and who refuse to leave voluntarily.
Asylum seekers at the site are not detained, however the site is self-contained as essential services are provided on site to reduce the impact on local services through reducing the need for asylum seekers to leave the site.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has received any written representations or invitations to meet from Councillor Gareth Owen-Williams (Crowborough Jarvis Brook) of Wealden District Council relating to the accommodation of asylum seekers at the Crowborough Training Camp.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has received any written representations or invitations to meet from Councillor Gareth Owen-Williams (Crowborough Jarvis Brook) of Wealden District Council relating to the accommodation of asylum seekers at the Crowborough Training Camp.
The Home Office has met regularly with Wealden District Council and has not received written representations or invitations to meet from Councillor Gareth Owen-Williams.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has received any written representations or invitations to meet from Councillor Ian Tysh (Maresfield, Planning and Environment Portfolio) of Wealden District Council relating to the accommodation of asylum seekers at the Crowborough Training Camp.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has received any written representations or invitations to meet from Councillor Ian Tysh (Maresfield, Planning and Environment Portfolio) of Wealden District Council relating to the accommodation of asylum seekers at the Crowborough Training Camp.
The Home Office has met regularly with Wealden District Council and has not received written representations or invitations to meet from Councillor Ian Tysh.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many meetings have her (a) Ministers and (b) civil servants attended relating to the Crowborough Training Camp and the accommodation of asylum seekers that were facilitated by the leadership of Wealden District Council since October 2025.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many meetings have her (a) Ministers and (b) civil servants attended relating to the Crowborough Training Camp and the accommodation of asylum seekers that were facilitated by the leadership of Wealden District Council since October 2025.
The Home Office has engaged extensively with Wealden District Council in relation to the use of Crowborough Training Camp. This has included meetings attended by senior civil servants, as well as attendance at a meeting of the Wealden District Council Scrutiny and Performance Committee in November 2025.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether any Ministers from her Department have visited the Crowborough Training Camp since October 2025.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether any Ministers from her Department have visited the Crowborough Training Camp since October 2025.
No, ministers have not yet visited the Crowborough site.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has facilitated visits to the Crowborough Training Camp for Councillor Rachel Millward and Councillor James Partridge, the Leaders of Wealden District Council; and on what date any such visit took place.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has facilitated visits to the Crowborough Training Camp for Councillor Rachel Millward and Councillor James Partridge, the Leaders of Wealden District Council; and on what date any such visit took place.
Yes, the Home Office facilitated a visit on 9 February 2026.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish any application for Crown Development relating to the use of Crowborough Training Camp as Asylum Accommodation.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish any application for Crown Development relating to the use of Crowborough Training Camp as Asylum Accommodation.
Crown Development applications and Special Development Orders once published can be found here:
All Crown Development applications – Find a Crown Development Application and Special Development Orders: Decisions - GOV.UK