The Department for Communities – or any of its ‘arms-length’ bodies – has no existing contracts with, or paid any money to, one of the UK’s largest asylum accommodation providers, says its Minister.
The Mears Group – one of the largest contractors maintaining council and housing association homes in the UK – has taken on several substantial contracts with the UK Home Office since 2019.
In that year, when Mears was awarded Asylum Accommodation and Support Contracts (AASC) – alongside Serco and Clearsprings Ready Homes – by the Home Office, it was also given responsibility for providing housing for asylum seekers in Northern Ireland.
The remit does not include control of social housing, but rather seeks to provide mostly private rentals or hotels for asylum seekers while their claims are being decided.
Seeking to find out more information on the relationship between Mears and the NI Executive, MLA Jonathan Buckley asked the Minister for Communities, Gordon Lyons whether there was any funding being provided by his Department to Mears or whether there were any contracts currently in existence.
Over the last number of months Mr Buckley has probed further and further into the asylum question.
The issue of immigration and asylum in Northern Ireland is one that he repeatedly brings up in the Assembly and puts to Ministers for answers.
And Minister Lyons confirmed in relation to the MLA’s most recent ask… there are no contracts and no funding.
Regarding the funding paid to Mears, Mr Buckley’s question was specific. He asked whether Mr Lyons’ Department and its arms-length bodies have provided any funding to Mears Group, including grants, contracts, programme funding, or programme delivery costs, in each of the last five years.
The Minister replied: “My Department and its arms-length bodies have not provided any funding to the Mears group in the last five years.”
Similarly, with regards to possible contracts, Mr Buckley asked the Minister to “detail any current live contracts between his Department, or its arms-length bodies, and Mears Group, including (i) the contract value; (ii) commencement date; and (iii) duration.”
Again, the Minister said: “My Department and its arms-length bodies do not have any live contracts with the Mears group.”
