Julian Huppert – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Huppert on 2014-06-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department takes to ensure that asylum seekers in COMPASS accommodation are able to register complaints quickly and easily.

Karen Bradley

The COMPASS contracts lay down requirements for the management of enquiries and
complaints received in respect of accommodation services provided to asylum
seekers.

COMPASS providers have a complaints service in place through which the asylum
seeker, their representative, the voluntary sector or local authorities can
raise concerns or issues direct. Providers also provide asylum seekers with a
detailed briefing on how they can raise a complaint as part of the move in
process. Asylum seekers can raise a complaint in a confidential way, and with
the assistance of an interpreter when required.

The complaints process is subject to performance management under the Key
Performance Indicators regime. Providers are required to report their
performance in terms of dealing with complaints on a monthly basis. In
addition, the Home Office has a team of 17 contract compliance officers who
also closely monitor complaints made to providers or made direct to the Home
Office as part of their contract compliance and assurance role.

Any failure of the critical service levels may result in financial penalties.