HL Deb 03 April 2003 vol 646 cc143-4WA
Baroness Ramsay of Cartvale

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What the findings were of the independent inquiry into the National Asylum Support Service's dealings with the Landmark Company. [HL2417]

Lord Falconer of Thoroton

On 11 July 2002, in answer to a Parliamentary Question from my honourable friend the Member for Liverpool, Riverside (Mrs Louise Ellman)Official Report, Commons, col. 1194W, the Home Secretary announced that he had instructed the director of National Asylum Support Service (NASS) to arrange for an independent inquiry to be carried out into issues arising from NASS' dealings with the Landmark Company. We are today publishing a summary of the report of that inquiry and a copy of that summary is being placed in the Library.

The inquiry confirmed that there were serious problems in the way accommodation for asylum seekers was being run in Liverpool. Its main recommendations have been accepted and are being implemented. Although the report concludes that there has been no material breach of contract by Landmark, it is clear that what happened in Liverpool is completely unacceptable.

We are therefore also announcing today the action which has been put in hand. A new contract manager has been appointed and will hold Landmark closely to account: the future of the contract will be reviewed after six months in the light of performance.

The new deputy director-general of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate, responsible for NASS, has been asked to make clear to Landmark that significant improvements will be needed—both in its general performance and in the standard of its properties. In the meantime, no further dispersal will be made to Landmark properties.

The Home Secretary has also recently commissioned an independent review of the management, staffing and expertise at NASS, which is due to report by the end of May.