Detention Centres: Coronavirus

(asked on 27th April 2020) - View Source

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) detainees and (b) staff of immigration detention centres have been tested for covid-19.


Answered by
Chris Philp Portrait
Chris Philp
Minister of State (Home Office)
This question was answered on 5th May 2020

The health of those in immigration removal centres is of the utmost importance but we remain committed to removing foreign national offenders or those who violate our immigration rules. Detention plays a key role in securing our borders and maintaining effective immigration control and it is only right that we protect the public from high-harm individuals, which is why the vast majority of those in detention are foreign national offenders.

Decisions to detain an individual are based on all of the information known at the time. As circumstances change, temporary release may then become the most appropriate option.

We are following all Public Health England guidance and have robust contingency plans in place. Measures such as protective isolation will be considered to minimise the risk of COVID-19 spreading to vulnerable groups in the immigration detention estate.

All immigration removal centres have dedicated health facilities run by doctors and nurses which are managed by the NHS or appropriate providers.

There are currently no cases of Coronavirus, in detainees, in immigration removal centres.

Provisional management information indicates that as of 27 April four members of IRC supplier staff have tested positive for COVID-19, one of whom has now fully recovered and returned to duty. In addition, there have been two confirmed cases of COVID-19 in detainees. A third individual was identified but after his release from detention had been agreed. Whilst in the IRC the individual was in isolation. He was released as there was no immediate prospect of removal. No other detainees have tested positive for COVID-19.

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