Overseeing provision of accommodation for those fleeing the war in Ukraine remains immensely challenging. My Department has contracted in excess of 34,000 beds to accommodate Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) in more than 550 settings including hotels, guesthouses, B&Bs, hostels, commercial self-catering accommodation and certain other repurposed settings. The scale and volume of payments arising has unfortunately led to processing delays, which my officials are working hard to clear.
The backlog has now been substantially reduced and I have instructed that outstanding payments, including the one highlighted by the Deputy, be dealt with as swiftly as possible.