Asked by: Lord German (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many people were accommodated at Wethersfield asylum accommodation site on the first of every month from 1 May to date.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Occupancy at the Wethersfield site is currently capped at 580 as part of the Special Development Order. This means that during current operation of the site, the population will not exceed 580.
Once the relevant Special Development Order conditions have been discharged, regular occupancy will be capped at 800.
The number of residents on the site at any one time is likely to vary due to a number of factors, including individuals having moved to onward dispersed accommodation while their claims are being considered.
The site has on-site primary healthcare delivered by a local healthcare provider Monday to Friday. This is run by healthcare professionals, a doctor and nurses, who offer systematic health assessments and are able to prescribe medication.
There is also a welfare facility and an accredited mental health nurse on site.
Asked by: Lord German (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether a GP is present at Wethersfield asylum accommodation site on five days a week.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Occupancy at the Wethersfield site is currently capped at 580 as part of the Special Development Order. This means that during current operation of the site, the population will not exceed 580.
Once the relevant Special Development Order conditions have been discharged, regular occupancy will be capped at 800.
The number of residents on the site at any one time is likely to vary due to a number of factors, including individuals having moved to onward dispersed accommodation while their claims are being considered.
The site has on-site primary healthcare delivered by a local healthcare provider Monday to Friday. This is run by healthcare professionals, a doctor and nurses, who offer systematic health assessments and are able to prescribe medication.
There is also a welfare facility and an accredited mental health nurse on site.
Asked by: Lord German (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the make up of the on site medical team at Wethersfield asylum accommodation site.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Occupancy at the Wethersfield site is currently capped at 580 as part of the Special Development Order. This means that during current operation of the site, the population will not exceed 580.
Once the relevant Special Development Order conditions have been discharged, regular occupancy will be capped at 800.
The number of residents on the site at any one time is likely to vary due to a number of factors, including individuals having moved to onward dispersed accommodation while their claims are being considered.
The site has on-site primary healthcare delivered by a local healthcare provider Monday to Friday. This is run by healthcare professionals, a doctor and nurses, who offer systematic health assessments and are able to prescribe medication.
There is also a welfare facility and an accredited mental health nurse on site.
Asked by: Lord German (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, in the light of the recommendations of the Brook House Inquiry report published on 19 September 2023, what changes will be made to the operation of Haslar and Campsfield immigration removal centres when they reopen.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office is proceeding with plans to open two refurbished IRCs on the sites of the former Campsfield House IRC at Kidlington in Oxfordshire, and the former Haslar IRC in Gosport, Hampshire. Both sites will be a mixture of refurbished and new-build accommodation, built to the latest standards, and, once open, will provide safe, secure and fit for purpose accommodation.
Like other IRCs, both IRCs will house a mixture of time-served Foreign National Offenders and immigration offenders awaiting removal from the UK, in line with the Government’s priority to increase returns. The sites will be secure facilities, with a range of on-site services (including recreation, faith and medical services) available.
We are committed to ensuring the proper protection and treatment of vulnerable people in detention and in developing plans for the new sites, we will be taking concerns raised by inspection and monitoring bodies into account including the key findings made by the Brook House Inquiry. The Home Office has strengthened its capacity to provide assurance and oversight of services across the detention estate. This includes action to refresh and reinforce whistleblowing arrangements; improving information flows; and analysis of complaints, incidents, and use of force.
Asked by: Lord German (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to reopen Campsfield Immigration Removal Centre, and if so, when.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office is proceeding with plans to open two refurbished IRCs on the sites of the former Campsfield House IRC at Kidlington in Oxfordshire, and the former Haslar IRC in Gosport, Hampshire. Both sites will be a mixture of refurbished and new-build accommodation, built to the latest standards, and, once open, will provide safe, secure and fit for purpose accommodation.
Like other IRCs, both IRCs will house a mixture of time-served Foreign National Offenders and immigration offenders awaiting removal from the UK, in line with the Government’s priority to increase returns. The sites will be secure facilities, with a range of on-site services (including recreation, faith and medical services) available.
We are committed to ensuring the proper protection and treatment of vulnerable people in detention and in developing plans for the new sites, we will be taking concerns raised by inspection and monitoring bodies into account including the key findings made by the Brook House Inquiry. The Home Office has strengthened its capacity to provide assurance and oversight of services across the detention estate. This includes action to refresh and reinforce whistleblowing arrangements; improving information flows; and analysis of complaints, incidents, and use of force.
Asked by: Lord German (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to reopen Haslar Immigration Removal Centre, and if so, when.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office is proceeding with plans to open two refurbished IRCs on the sites of the former Campsfield House IRC at Kidlington in Oxfordshire, and the former Haslar IRC in Gosport, Hampshire. Both sites will be a mixture of refurbished and new-build accommodation, built to the latest standards, and, once open, will provide safe, secure and fit for purpose accommodation.
Like other IRCs, both IRCs will house a mixture of time-served Foreign National Offenders and immigration offenders awaiting removal from the UK, in line with the Government’s priority to increase returns. The sites will be secure facilities, with a range of on-site services (including recreation, faith and medical services) available.
We are committed to ensuring the proper protection and treatment of vulnerable people in detention and in developing plans for the new sites, we will be taking concerns raised by inspection and monitoring bodies into account including the key findings made by the Brook House Inquiry. The Home Office has strengthened its capacity to provide assurance and oversight of services across the detention estate. This includes action to refresh and reinforce whistleblowing arrangements; improving information flows; and analysis of complaints, incidents, and use of force.
Asked by: Lord German (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to extend the 28-day move-on period for asylum seekers who have been given the right to remain in the UK.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The government is aware of the need for a smooth exit from asylum accommodation for those asylum seekers who are granted leave to remain, so those individuals can support themselves through employment. We continue to work closely with local government and employment partners, including MHCLG and DWP, on this process.
Asked by: Lord German (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to increasing asylum support payments.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office has a legal obligation to meet the essential living needs of destitute asylum seekers. Support is usually provided in the form of accommodation and a weekly allowance. The level of the allowance is reviewed each year to ensure it covers an asylum seeker’s “essential living needs”.
Asked by: Lord German (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to respond to the report on an unannounced inspection of Harmondsworth Immigration Removal Centre by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, published on 9 July.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office takes the health, welfare and safety of people in our care very seriously and it is vital that detention and removals are carried out with dignity and respect.
We are concerned by some of the findings in His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons’ (HMIP’s) report and recognise that standards need to improve across immigration detention facilities. We are committed to taking robust steps informed by these inspection findings.
A detailed service improvement plan setting out the Government’s response to the report has been published on HMIP’s website and implementation of those actions, and overall conditions at Harmondsworth, will be monitored closely to ensure that standards improve.
Further details can be found here: Harmondsworth Immigration Removal Centre – HM Inspectorate of Prisons (justiceinspectorates.gov.uk).
Asked by: Lord German (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to continue the use of large-scale asylum accommodation centres, including (1) RAF Scampton, and (2) MDP Wethersfield.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
We are determined to restore order to the asylum system so that it operates swiftly, firmly, and fairly; and ensures that the rules are properly enforced.
The Home Secretary will decide on the future of current Home Office policies in due course.