Asked by: Mary Kelly Foy (Labour - City of Durham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether it is her policy that at least 60 per cent of staff in direct contact with women detainees will also be women at the new Hassockfield immigration removal centre in line with her Department's acceptance of that recommendation in the HM Inspectorate of Prisions' Yarl’s Wood Service Improvement Plan, published on 12 August 2015.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The safety, health and welfare of individuals in immigration detention are considered with the upmost importance. The new Hassockfield (to be known as Derwentside) immigration removal centre (IRC) will be operated in line with Detention Centre Rules 2001, published operating standards for IRCs and Detention Services Orders; a framework which ensures the safety and security of those detained in our care.
The workforce requirements for the new Hassockfield IRC will reflect the lessons learned from detaining women at Yarl’s Wood IRC and will include a ratio of female to male custodial staff that is appropriate for the specific needs of women in detention. It is our aim that around 60% of uniformed staff will be women.
Healthcare in IRCs in England is commissioned by NHS England, and the healthcare services at Hassockfield IRC will be provided by NHS England & NHS Improvement commissioned service providers and delivered in line with the national service specifications for healthcare services in IRCs. The healthcare provider will ensure that services within the IRC are delivered to meet the healthcare needs of women. As set out in Detention Services Order 06/2016 ‘Women in the detention estate’ women will be offered the option to choose to see a female healthcare professional wherever possible.
Asked by: Mary Kelly Foy (Labour - City of Durham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether organisations external to her Department will be able to contract the women detained at Hassockfield Immigration Removal Centre to carry out work.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
Hassockfield immigration removal centre (IRC) will be operated in accordance with the Detention Centre Rules 2001, in addition to published Operating Standards for IRCs and Detention Services Orders (DSO).
Rule 17 of the Detention Centre Rules permits those in detention to engage voluntarily in paid activities. These activities are provided to meet the recreational and intellectual needs of detained individuals. In accordance with Rule 17, pay rates are determined by the Secretary of State for the Home Department. The currently approved rates of pay are £1 per hour and, for specified projects, £1.25 per hour, as set out in the published Detention Services Order 1/2013 ‘Paid Activities’.
External organisations are not permitted to use the paid activity scheme to contract people in immigration detention to carry out work.
Asked by: Mary Kelly Foy (Labour - City of Durham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much per hour women detained at Hassockfield Immigration Removal Centre are planned to be paid for the work they carry out.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
Hassockfield immigration removal centre (IRC) will be operated in accordance with the Detention Centre Rules 2001, in addition to published Operating Standards for IRCs and Detention Services Orders (DSO).
Rule 17 of the Detention Centre Rules permits those in detention to engage voluntarily in paid activities. These activities are provided to meet the recreational and intellectual needs of detained individuals. In accordance with Rule 17, pay rates are determined by the Secretary of State for the Home Department. The currently approved rates of pay are £1 per hour and, for specified projects, £1.25 per hour, as set out in the published Detention Services Order 1/2013 ‘Paid Activities’.
External organisations are not permitted to use the paid activity scheme to contract people in immigration detention to carry out work.
Asked by: Mary Kelly Foy (Labour - City of Durham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the cost per year of running Hassockfield Immigration Removal Centre at maximum capacity.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The costs of the contract to run Hassockfield immigration removal centre are currently commercial in confidence. The Home Office will publish a contract award notice in line with the statutory timelines within the Public Contract Regulations 2015, which will detail the full cost of running the centre.
Asked by: Mary Kelly Foy (Labour - City of Durham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what criteria her Department used to select Hassockfield as the site for a new immigration removal centre; and which other sites were considered for that planned centre.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The immigration removal estate is kept under ongoing review to ensure that the Home Office has sufficient resilience, geographical footprint and capacity for the men and women it proves necessary to detain for the purposes of removal, while providing value for money.
As part of its plans to manage the closure and return of the Morton Hall immigration removal centre to Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service, the Home Office considered a number of sites for a new immigration removal centre (IRC). Specifically, sites such as the former Campsfield IRC were considered and the Home Office also engaged in discussions with the Ministry of Justice on the availability of surplus sites.
Given the timescales and value for money considerations, acquiring the vacant Hassockfield site to open as an IRC for women was considered the most cost-effective option for maintaining immigration detention capacity.
An Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) will be completed for opening of Hassockfield IRC in line with Public Sector Equality Duties. To ensure that decisions about the development of the site have due regard to eliminating discrimination and inequality, the EIA for Hassockfield will remain ongoing as plans progress to completion. The Home Office will publish the completed EIA in due course.
Asked by: Mary Kelly Foy (Labour - City of Durham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when her Department plans to undertake an equality impact assessment for the Hassockfield Immigration Removal Centre.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The immigration removal estate is kept under ongoing review to ensure that the Home Office has sufficient resilience, geographical footprint and capacity for the men and women it proves necessary to detain for the purposes of removal, while providing value for money.
As part of its plans to manage the closure and return of the Morton Hall immigration removal centre to Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service, the Home Office considered a number of sites for a new immigration removal centre (IRC). Specifically, sites such as the former Campsfield IRC were considered and the Home Office also engaged in discussions with the Ministry of Justice on the availability of surplus sites.
Given the timescales and value for money considerations, acquiring the vacant Hassockfield site to open as an IRC for women was considered the most cost-effective option for maintaining immigration detention capacity.
An Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) will be completed for opening of Hassockfield IRC in line with Public Sector Equality Duties. To ensure that decisions about the development of the site have due regard to eliminating discrimination and inequality, the EIA for Hassockfield will remain ongoing as plans progress to completion. The Home Office will publish the completed EIA in due course.
Asked by: Mary Kelly Foy (Labour - City of Durham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which airports her Department plans to use to deport women who have been detained at Hassockfield Immigration Removal Centre.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
Most enforced immigration returns are undertaken using scheduled flights, alongside fare-paying passengers from airports around the UK based on a case by case assessment of the individuals needs and to best meet operational needs and maximise value for money.
This Government’s priority is keeping the people of this country safe, and we make no apology for seeking to remove dangerous foreign criminals and other immigration offenders.
Asked by: Mary Kelly Foy (Labour - City of Durham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans the Government has to provide accommodation for women released from Hassockfield Immigration Removal Centre to continue their asylum claims.
Answered by Kevin Foster
Asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute can make an application for support and accommodation whilst their application for asylum is being considered.
All asylum seekers have access to a 24/7 AIRE (Advice, Issue Reporting and Eligibility) service provided for the Home Office by Migrant Help where they can raise any concerns regarding accommodation or support services, and they can get information about how to obtain further support.