§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the Audit Commission report entitled, Another Country; what plans he has to make changes to the current arrangements for the dispersal of asylum seekers; and if he will make a statement. [125320]
396W
§ Mrs. RocheWe welcome the Audit Commission report on the dispersal arrangements. The field work for the report was undertaken between October 1999 and March 2000 and draws its conclusions from the effectiveness of dispersal operations under the voluntary arrangements, before the National Asylum Support Service became operational on 3 April 2000. Many of the conclusions and recommendations made within the report have been implemented, or are being developed, or are under active consideration.
We will continue to work with regional consortia to ensure that asylum seekers are properly supported while their claims are being considered, and that no one area takes a disproportionate burden.