Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans her Department has made for (a) when and (b) how the covid-19 vaccine is planned to be offered to people held in immigration detention.

The safety and health of people detained in our care is of the utmost importance. The Home Office has robust contingency plans in place and continues to follow national guidance issued by Public Health England (PHE), Health Protection Scotland and the National Health Service (NHS).

All immigration removal centres (IRCs) have communicable disease contingency plans, based on PHE advice, and dedicated health facilities run by doctors and nurses which are managed by the NHS or appropriate providers. Detained individuals arriving at IRCs are medically assessed by a nurse within two hours of their arrival, are offered an appointment with a doctor within 24 hours and have access to medical assistance throughout their detention. Additionally, all admissions to Heathrow, Gatwick, Yarl’s Wood and Dungavel IRCs are offered a Covid-19 test on arrival at the IRC.

COVID-19 vaccinations are at the centre of the Government’s plan to ensure life can return to normal as soon as possible. Detailed planning is underway between the Home Office, NHS and Public Health Authorities to prepare for the delivery of vaccinations in IRCs when they become available. Vaccinations in IRCs will be administered by the NHS, or other commissioned healthcare service provider.

The decision about who will be eligible for the vaccine in Health and Justice settings, which includes IRCs, is being decided by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) in line with JCVI priorities 1 – 9, with NHS plans in place to have offered a first vaccine dose to all those in priority groups 1-4 by mid- February.