Commentary on Sections Use of centres Section 26: Withdrawal of support
85.Section 26(1) sets out particular circumstances in which the Secretary of State may stop providing support to a person in an accommodation centre under section 17 or for whom provisional assistance under section 24 is being provided, namely: where the Secretary of State suspects a person or a dependant of his has committed an offence under the relevant provisions listed in section 35; and where the person or a dependant of his has failed to comply with the Secretary of State’s directions as to the time and manner of travel to the accommodation centre or to other accommodation being provided under sections 17 or 24.
86.Subsection (2) enables regulations to be made specifying other circumstances in which support under sections 17 and 24 may be stopped. Subsection (3) allows the Secretary of State to take into account the fact he has withdrawn support under this section or section 30 (breach of conditions of residence), or that circumstances exist in which he would have withdrawn support, in deciding whether to provide support under sections 17 (support for destitute asylum seekers) or 24 (provisional assistance) of the Act or under sections 4 (accommodation for those temporarily released from detention), 95 (persons for whom support may be provided) or 98 (temporary support) of the 1999 Act. Subsection (4) makes clear that section 26 does not affect the right of appeal against refusal or withdrawal of support that is provided for in section 103 of the 1999 Act (as amended by Section 53).