AQW 28433/22-27 Written question to the Minister for Communities
To ask the Minister for Communities,pursuant to AQO 2109/22-27, (i) to clarify comments he made which intimated the the Mears Group are housing illegal immigrants; and (ii) for his assessment of the legal obligation for the UK to protect refugees and asylum seekers.
Asked by Kellie Armstrong MLA on 9 June 2025
- Answered
- Written
- After due date
- Tabled
- 9 June 2025
- Answer due by
- 24 June 2025
- Answered
- 22 July 202543 days after tabling
- Department
- Department for Communities
- Priority question
- No
Answer
Your assertion is incorrect, and I would refer you to the answer I gave to AQO 2109/22-27
Immigration is an excepted matter and the lead government department with responsibility for legal obligations to asylum seekers across the UK is the Home Office.
Where an individual has been accepted by the Home Office as a refugee and given leave to remain in the UK, in most cases this will bring an entitlement to access public services including housing and homelessness assistance for which my Department is responsible in Northern Ireland.