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6 July 2005 - Results of Three HMIP
Unannounced Inspections
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The results of three unannounced inspection visits by Her
Majesty's Inspectorate of Prisons for England and Wales (HMIP) has today been
published.
The three short-term holding centres visited were, Harwich
International Airport, Manchester Airport and Port of Dover. All of
these residential centres hold detainees for up to one week and are based at
ports and airports.
Concerns had previously been made in 2002 in areas such as the
following:
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Monitoring and controlling movement procedures, with a
requirement for health and safety risk assessments deemed to be necessary.
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Relationships between staff and detainees.
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Supervision required attention.
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Lacking in opportunities for education and recreation.
However, the Report found these areas to have shown improvement.
Chief Inspector of Prisons, Anne Owers said:
"It is clear that slack or inadequate practices can develop
in a closed custodial setting. Our recommendations need to be built into the
operating standards for these centres. But those standards also need to be
regularly monitored, both through robust IND management systems and external
checks. Recent evidence of abuse under escort and at the point of removal
underlines the need for this. Our recommendations include the need for any
incident of physical injury following restraint to be medically examined and
logged to identify patterns and allow effective investigation of alleged
abuses".
HM Chief Inspector also highlighted the key common findings in
all three of the inspections as being:
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A lack of routine and swift access to healthcare.
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Insufficient activities or access to exercise.
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Inadequate self-harm, suicide and child protection procedures.
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Poor access to seek legal advice.
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Inadequate fire safety procedures.
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Some staff, particularly at Harwich, were insufficiently
trained.
Although some issues have been addressed, Chief Inspector of
Prisons Anne Owers commented:
"It was of particular concern that, despite our
recommendations, there was still not clear protocol to ensure that detainees
subject to failed removals who returned to the centre were medically examined
and any injuries recorded and passed on to the relevant authorities to be
monitored and, if necessary acted on. As we recommended elsewhere, the
Immigration and Nationality Directorate should urgently put in place such a
system".
Responding to Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons (HMCIP)
inspection reports, Tony McNulty, Home Office Minister said:
"I am pleased that Anne Owers acknowledges that in all these centres
staff treat the detainees well and with respect. I am particularly pleased she
highlights the improvements that have been made at Harmondsworth since her
earlier inspection in 2003.
"Detention is an essential part of an effective immigration system, but
we recognise that improvements need to be made. We are fully committed to
ensuring that robust management and independent oversight is in place at all
our short-term holding facilities. We have already taken steps to put
independent checks on a statutory basis in the Immigration, Asylum and
Nationality Bill currently going through Parliament."
Inspectorate reports can be accessed by clicking the following:
HM Inspectorate of Prisons
Article by Alexandra Johnston
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