Mary Kelly Foy MP reacts to Government asylum housing plans

Mary Kelly Foy, City of Durham MP, said the Home Office had apologised after a letter suggested politicians had attended a meeting about plans to resume procuring asylum accommodation through contractor Mears.

The Home Office has since clarified that the meeting in June was with Durham County Council representatives, not MPs.

The decision to recommence sourcing properties was taken after a review found an additional 100 to 150 bed spaces were needed.

It follows a pause by the Government, which was introduced in June 2025 amid concerns about the impact of asylum accommodation on communities

Ms Foy MP was forced to clarify her stance after Durham County Council's deputy leader, Darren Grimes, criticised local MPs. 

In a statement shared on social media, Ms Foy said: "MPs didn't have a meeting on June 24, nor had I had sight of a final decision regarding the pause."

She said a Home Office official had written to MPs to apologise after they queried the wording of the department's correspondence. Ms Foy said MPs had instead met Home Office officials and Mears in April, following an earlier decision to reverse the procurement pause.

She said that meeting focused on the lack of information being provided to MPs and concerns about the acquisition of properties for asylum accommodation.

"I highlighted on numerous occasions key areas which Mears should avoid acquiring properties in during meetings and via written correspondence," she said.

The Labour MP added that she had expected to receive advance notice from the Home Office before any further decisions were made and said she had published the correspondence "to be fully transparent".

Ms Foy said she would now write to new Home Office ministers "to ensure the concerns of my constituents are relayed - again".

Meanwhile, Cllr Grimes vowed to “be the most difficult council in England” for the Government to deal with amid ongoing measures to prevent properties being bought up by developers. 

He said: "I'm proud that we are the most difficult council for the Labour Government to work with in its attempt to dump unwanted illegal migrant (primarily) men on our communities."

Addressing Ms Foy directly, he added: "What are you going to now do about it having, as you suggest, learned of the Home Office plans to restart the migrant pipeline via Mears? You have had several attempts by one of our councillors to contact you on the issue of HMOs, to no avail."

Cllr Grimes also pointed to the council's planned Article 4 Direction, due to come into force on 17 August, which would require planning permission for future changes of use to houses in multiple occupation in parts of the county.

He said: "It strips out the permitted development rights that let these conversions happen without so much as a by your leave.

"If Labour want to do this to County Durham, they can do it through the planning committee, in public, with residents watching.”