Immigration: Detention of Pregnant Women Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateLord Bishop of Southwark
Main Page: Lord Bishop of Southwark (Bishops - Bishops)Department Debates - View all Lord Bishop of Southwark's debates with the Home Office
(8 years, 3 months ago)
Lords ChamberAt present there are management data from diverse sources, including medical data, border data and detention data. The Government are considering how best to collate the information and whether it will be necessary to actually publish it. I ask the noble Baroness to bear in mind that our intention is to minimise the number of pregnant women in detention, and that will dictate how we proceed.
My Lords, I would be grateful if the Minister would detail the criteria and give examples of the exceptional circumstances that justify the detention of pregnant women under the Act.
We have made it perfectly clear that detention in all cases is the exception and not the rule. In the cases of vulnerable adults, including pregnant women, it will be wholly exceptional for them to be detained. In general it is anticipated that detention will be required only in circumstances where someone arrives at the border without any right to be in the United Kingdom and can be more or less immediately returned to their country of origin.