Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans she has to release detainees from immigration removal centres in response to the covid-19 outbreak; and what steps she is taking to ensure the health and protection of the remaining detainees.

We only detain people where it is absolutely necessary, with decisions made on a case-by-case basis and kept under constant review but 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.

The health of those in immigration removal centres is of the utmost importance and Immigration Enforcement are following the latest guidance from Public Health England. Measures such as protective isolation will be considered on a case by case basis to minimise the risk of COVID-19 spreading to vulnerable groups in the immigration detention estate. Further measures including shielding, single occupancy rooms and the cessation of social visits have been introduced in line with the Government direction on social distancing.

As of 13 May there are no cases of COVID-19 in the immigration detention estate.