HC Deb 14 March 2000 vol 346 cc161-2W
Mr. Lidington

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the testing of asylum seeker support vouchers began; and what progress has been made with those tests. [114541]

Mrs. Roche

Sodexho Pass began testing the voucher scheme in early March. This is an ongoing process that will continue until the scheme goes live on 3 April.

Mr. Lidington

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which local authorities have been consulted by Sodexho about the implementation of the new asylum seeker voucher scheme. [114584]

Mrs. Roche

Sodexho Pass is not contractually bound to consult local authorities in regard to the voucher scheme. However, the National Asylum Support Service continues to liaise and work with local authorities, through the regional consortia and the Local Government Association, on all aspects of the new support arrangements.

Mr. Lidington

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he expects Sodexho to have an asylum seeker voucher scheme ready to implement on 1 April; and if he will make a statement. [114583]

Mrs. Roche

Yes. Sodexho Pass, the contractor for the asylum support voucher scheme, will be ready to implement the voucher scheme from 3 April when the new national asylum support scheme begins to be phased in.