Baroness Hamwee – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Hamwee on 2016-09-09.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether pre-departure accommodation at Tinsley House will be equipped for families with children and will provide facilities for children to a similar level as those at Cedars family accommodation centre; and when Tinsley House will be ready for use.
Baroness Williams of Trafford
Tinsley House is currently under going refurbishment. This includes the facilities identified for the new pre-departure accommodation. The apartment based facilities will be similar to those provided at Cedars family accommodation centre.
These facilities will include a children’s play area in the family reception area; a domestic kitchen to allow families to cook for themselves; and improvements to the outside courtyard and the separate entrance to the proposed pre departure accommodation.
The important assistance to families preparing to return to their home country, provided at Cedars, will remain in place at the new pre-departure accommodation. Cedars will remain open to enable a managed transition to the new location to take place, and Barnardo’s will continue to provide welfare support at Cedars. The timetable for the opening of pre-departure accommodation at Tinsley House is still being finalised.
