Asked by: Lord Ramsbotham (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the recommendations in the report by Refugee Rights Europe, Finally Safe? Experiences of Women in Asylum Accommodation in Birmingham, published in November, and the proposals made by Asylum Matters and the Scottish Refugee Council about an increased role for local authorities in the procurement and monitoring of asylum accommodation.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
The Government demands the highest standards from contractors and their accommodation and monitor them closely to ensure this is maintained. All Providers are contractually required to take account of any particular circumstances and vulnerability of those that they accommodate, including those who have health care issues or are pregnant. This includes making specific allowances for accommodation type in accordance with local authority regulations, as well as ensuring that registration and transportation to medical appointments takes place.
Identifying the needs of service users as well as safeguarding those being supported by UKVI are common themes throughout the new contracts. Additional measures have been put in place to monitor the service that is being delivered, introducing mechanisms and opportunities to respond to changes in service user circumstances whilst they are supported and accommodated. We encourage all reports to share details of individual cases with the Home Office to ensure that we are able to respond swiftly and efficiently to any points raised.
We take the wellbeing of asylum seekers and the local communities in which they live extremely seriously and will continue to work closely with local authorities across the United Kingdom to deliver on our statutory obligation to house destitute asylum seekers whilst their asylum claims are determined. All accommodation providers are contractually obliged to consult the relevant Local Authority on any new properties procured for use in the asylum dispersal system. This obligation will continue into the new accommodation contracts.
Asked by: Lord Ramsbotham (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have plans to introduce a robust screening process so that immigrants and asylum seekers who are survivors of sexual and gender-based violence, and others who are recognised as vulnerable under their adults at risk policy, are identified before they are detained.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
In response to the Stephen Shaw review the Government has introduced a range of measures to identify and safeguard vulnerable people liable to be detained for immigration purposes
The adults at risk in immigration detention policy, which came into force on 12 September 2016 has introduced a case-by-case evidence-based assessment of the appropriateness of detention for any individual, including victims of sexual or gender based violence, who is considered vulnerable, balanced against the immigration control considerations that apply in their case.
The policy is supported by the cross-cutting Detention Gatekeeper, which assesses vulnerability and provides challenge to decisions about who enters immigration detention, and scrutinises prospects and speed of removal.
The Detention Centre Rules 2001 (Statutory Instrument) and published Home Office guidance provide additional safeguards including individuals being offered a physical and mental examination within 24 hours of admission to detention, a requirement for immigration removal centre doctors to report to the Home Office any special illness or conditions (including torture) that might affect an individual remaining in detention and processes for staff to follow when there has been a change to the physical or mental health of a detainee, or a change in the nature or severity of their identified vulnerability, that may impact on the decision to detain.
Asked by: Lord Ramsbotham (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the average duration of detention for unaccompanied minors seeking asylum in the UK in 2017.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
Information on the length of detention of people leaving detention is available in tables dt_06_q and dt_09_q of the detention tables in the latest releases of ‘Immigration Statistics, July to September 2017’, available from the Home Office website at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/662536/detention-jul-sep-2017-tables.ods.
The table includes a breakdown of adults and child detainees who have previously claimed asylum at some stage. However, we cannot identify those minors which were unaccompanied. Figures for Q4 2017 will be released on 22 February 2018.
People leaving detention by length of detention, January to September 2017 | |||
Length of detention | Total Detainees | Of which: Adult asylum detainees | Child asylum detainees |
*Total | 20,730 | 10,222 | 24 |
A: 3 days or less | 5,514 | 2,044 | 21 |
B: 4 to 7 days | 1,483 | 855 | 2 |
C: 8 to 14 days | 2,604 | 1,086 | 1 |
D: 15 to 28 days | 3,619 | 1,550 | 0 |
E: 29 days to less than 2 months | 3,494 | 1,875 | 0 |
F: 2 months to less than 3 months | 1,566 | 978 | 0 |
G: 3 months to less than 4 months | 794 | 546 | 0 |
H: 4 months to less than 6 months | 813 | 631 | 0 |
I: 6 months to less than 12 months | 680 | 536 | 0 |
J: 12 months to less than 18 months | 100 | 75 | 0 |
K: 18 months to less than 24 months | 41 | 31 | 0 |
L: 24 months to less than 36 months | 20 | 15 | 0 |
M: 36 months to less than 48 months | 2 | 0 | 0 |
N: 48 months or more | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Figures are provisional. | |||
Asylum detainees: People detained solely under Immigration Act powers | |||
who are recorded as having sought asylum at some stage. | |||
The median length of detention for adults, who had claimed asylum at some point, between January and September 2017, was between 15 and 28 days. There are a small number of detainees who have been detained for long periods of time, which would skew the mean value. The median is therefore the most suitable average for these data.
Asked by: Lord Ramsbotham (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the average duration of detention for all minors seeking asylum in the UK in 2017.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
Information on the length of detention of people leaving detention is available in tables dt_06_q and dt_09_q of the detention tables in the latest releases of ‘Immigration Statistics, July to September 2017’, available from the Home Office website at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/662536/detention-jul-sep-2017-tables.ods.
The table includes a breakdown of adults and child detainees who have previously claimed asylum at some stage. However, we cannot identify those minors which were unaccompanied. Figures for Q4 2017 will be released on 22 February 2018.
People leaving detention by length of detention, January to September 2017 | |||
Length of detention | Total Detainees | Of which: Adult asylum detainees | Child asylum detainees |
*Total | 20,730 | 10,222 | 24 |
A: 3 days or less | 5,514 | 2,044 | 21 |
B: 4 to 7 days | 1,483 | 855 | 2 |
C: 8 to 14 days | 2,604 | 1,086 | 1 |
D: 15 to 28 days | 3,619 | 1,550 | 0 |
E: 29 days to less than 2 months | 3,494 | 1,875 | 0 |
F: 2 months to less than 3 months | 1,566 | 978 | 0 |
G: 3 months to less than 4 months | 794 | 546 | 0 |
H: 4 months to less than 6 months | 813 | 631 | 0 |
I: 6 months to less than 12 months | 680 | 536 | 0 |
J: 12 months to less than 18 months | 100 | 75 | 0 |
K: 18 months to less than 24 months | 41 | 31 | 0 |
L: 24 months to less than 36 months | 20 | 15 | 0 |
M: 36 months to less than 48 months | 2 | 0 | 0 |
N: 48 months or more | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Figures are provisional. | |||
Asylum detainees: People detained solely under Immigration Act powers | |||
who are recorded as having sought asylum at some stage. | |||
The median length of detention for adults, who had claimed asylum at some point, between January and September 2017, was between 15 and 28 days. There are a small number of detainees who have been detained for long periods of time, which would skew the mean value. The median is therefore the most suitable average for these data.
Asked by: Lord Ramsbotham (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the average duration of detention for adult asylum seekers in the UK in 2017.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
Information on the length of detention of people leaving detention is available in tables dt_06_q and dt_09_q of the detention tables in the latest releases of ‘Immigration Statistics, July to September 2017’, available from the Home Office website at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/662536/detention-jul-sep-2017-tables.ods.
The table includes a breakdown of adults and child detainees who have previously claimed asylum at some stage. However, we cannot identify those minors which were unaccompanied. Figures for Q4 2017 will be released on 22 February 2018.
People leaving detention by length of detention, January to September 2017 | |||
Length of detention | Total Detainees | Of which: Adult asylum detainees | Child asylum detainees |
*Total | 20,730 | 10,222 | 24 |
A: 3 days or less | 5,514 | 2,044 | 21 |
B: 4 to 7 days | 1,483 | 855 | 2 |
C: 8 to 14 days | 2,604 | 1,086 | 1 |
D: 15 to 28 days | 3,619 | 1,550 | 0 |
E: 29 days to less than 2 months | 3,494 | 1,875 | 0 |
F: 2 months to less than 3 months | 1,566 | 978 | 0 |
G: 3 months to less than 4 months | 794 | 546 | 0 |
H: 4 months to less than 6 months | 813 | 631 | 0 |
I: 6 months to less than 12 months | 680 | 536 | 0 |
J: 12 months to less than 18 months | 100 | 75 | 0 |
K: 18 months to less than 24 months | 41 | 31 | 0 |
L: 24 months to less than 36 months | 20 | 15 | 0 |
M: 36 months to less than 48 months | 2 | 0 | 0 |
N: 48 months or more | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Figures are provisional. | |||
Asylum detainees: People detained solely under Immigration Act powers | |||
who are recorded as having sought asylum at some stage. | |||
The median length of detention for adults, who had claimed asylum at some point, between January and September 2017, was between 15 and 28 days. There are a small number of detainees who have been detained for long periods of time, which would skew the mean value. The median is therefore the most suitable average for these data.
Asked by: Lord Ramsbotham (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when the short-term detention rules will be published.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
The Short Term Holding Facility Rules are expected to be made by the end of 2017.
Asked by: Lord Ramsbotham (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their response to the recommendations by Women for Refugee Women for the use of support and engagement in the asylum process as a means of reducing the use of immigration detention, contained in the report <i>The Way Ahead; an asylum system without detention</i>, published on 1 March.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
We note the recommendations in the report.
Detention is used sparingly, especially in the case of those who have claimed asylum. The overwhelming majority of asylum claimants remain in the community whilst their cases are considered. Only a very small minority of asylum claimants are detained whilst their case is considered and this is normally where they have claimed asylum after already having been detained for removal.
Asked by: Lord Ramsbotham (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government why publication of the new drugs strategy, which was expected to be in March 2016, has been delayed.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
We are currently developing the new Drug Strategy, working across government and with key partners. The new strategy will be published soon.
Asked by: Lord Ramsbotham (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they intend to bring into force paragraph 11 of Schedule 10 to the Immigration Act 2016 regarding bail hearings for individuals in immigration detention.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
We are currently working with the Ministry of Justice, Her Majesty’s Court Service and the First-tier Tribunal to implement the Secretary of State’s duty to arrange consideration of bail, as set out in paragraph 11 of Schedule 10 to the Immigration Act 2016. This is just one part of a large number of changes necessary to implement the wider immigration bail provisions in Schedule 10 and will be commenced alongside those other provisions in due course.
Asked by: Lord Ramsbotham (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made in introducing individual removals plans as outlined in their response to the independent review into the welfare in detention of vulnerable persons, published on 14 January.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
Since the publication of the Government’s response to Stephen Shaw’s Report into the welfare in detention of vulnerable persons on 14 January, work has been ongoing to design a more effective case management process to replace the existing method of reviewing detention.