On Monday 16 May, during oral questions to the Secretary of State for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Stephen raised reports of serious safeguarding concerns about the Homes for Ukraine Scheme.
The Government launched its Homes for Ukraine scheme in March, offering households willing to host a refugee £350 a month. Around 200,000 people have signed up to the scheme to sponsor a refugee fleeing Ukraine so far.
However, several migrants’ rights organisations have raised concerns that social media platforms are enabling sex traffickers to abuse the Homes for Ukraine scheme by offering women conditional accommodation, putting them at risk of sexual exploitation.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Stephen said: “criminal record checks on their own cannot prevent this. What assurance can the Minister give us about the rigour and effectiveness of the separate home checks undertaken for the scheme?”
You can watch Stephen’s full question, and the Secretary of State’s response, below.