Brook House Inquiry: Government Response

Michael Tomlinson Excerpts

Tuesday 19th March 2024 Written Statements

[The Minister for Countering Illegal Migration (Michael Tomlinson)]

The Government are today publishing their response to the Brook House inquiry. The Government are grateful to the chair of the BHI, Kate Eves, for her review and welcome this important contribution to ensuring the safety and welfare of those in detention. The response has been laid before Parliament as a Command Paper, CP 1041, and copies are available in the Vote Office and on gov.uk.

This inquiry, in which the Home Office was a core participant, was in response to an investigative current affairs documentary broadcast in September 2017, which included covert footage of abuse of detained people at Brook House immigration removal centre by a small number of contracted service provider staff. The inquiry was established on 5 November 2019 and published its report on 19 September 2023. The inquiry formally closed on 31 January 2024.

The aim of the inquiry was to establish the facts of what took place and ensure that lessons were learnt to prevent those shocking events happening again. The Government expect the highest standards from contracted service providers.

The Government wish to highlight the significant improvements that have been made since 2017 to uphold the welfare and dignity of those detained across the estate including strengthening safeguards, promoting a culture of transparency and improving the oversight of contractors’ performance. The Government are confident the measures taken so far in responding to the BHI have gone a long way to addressing many of the key concerns raised, and will continue to reflect on the findings from the inquiry ensuring that they are fully embedded into the development and implementation of new and emerging policy initiatives.

[HCWS356]