Skip to main content

Asylum: Military Bases

Question for Home Office

UIN 169963, tabled on 16 March 2021

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to close Penally and Napier Barracks as asylum accommodation.

Answered on

22 March 2021

Penally has provided emergency capacity in response to pressures put on the asylum estate during the pandemic. As those pressures have eased, we have decided not to extend emergency planning permission beyond six months and moved all remaining asylum seekers from the site on 21 March. Napier Barracks will remain in operation in accordance with current needs.

The Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration announced an inspection of contingency asylum accommodation on 25 January 2021. The Home Office acknowledges the ICIBI’s decision to publish the initial findings from site visits to Napier Barracks and Penally.

The ICIBI’s inspection continues and a full inspection report will follow.

The duration of the inspection is a matter for the ICIBI and upon its conclusion, following standard procedure set out in the UK Borders Act 2007, the Department will issue a formal response alongside the inspection report as it is laid before Parliament and published on Gov.UK

Answered by

Home Office
Named day
Named day questions only occur in the House of Commons. The MP tabling the question specifies the date on which they should receive an answer. MPs may not table more than five named day questions on a single day.