To ask the First Minister and deputy First Minister whether any actions arising from the new Refugee Integration Strategy, will include measures to address transport affordability for asylum seekers, in light of the Mental Health Foundation report, The Journey to Wellbeing, which indicated that 97 per cent of participants were unable to access transport due to cost.

We are pleased that the Refugee Integration Strategy and its associated Delivery Framework were published on 29 May this year. Delivery will enhance and support our wider work on racial equality and work is ongoing with partners to progress priority actions this year and commence work on longer term actions.

Under the auspices of the draft Strategy, asylum dispersal funding provided by Home Office was allocated to the Department for Infrastructure for the Local Links Pilot. It commenced on 1 November 2023 to provide asylum seekers here with free travel on Translink services for a 6-month period.

The full evaluation report for the pilot is available on the Department for Infrastructure website and whilst it demonstrated positive outcomes, as the Pilot was Home Office funded, the Department for Infrastructure was unable to continue the scheme beyond its initial term.

However, its positive outcomes will inform future decisions, including potential changes to the NI Concessionary Fares Scheme