Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many women recorded as pregnant have been held in immigration detention; and how many of those women left detention to be removed from the UK since the Immigration Act 2016 came into force.

Through section 60 of the Immigration Act 2016, which came into force on 12 July 2016, we have placed a 72 hour limit on the detention of pregnant women for the purposes of removal, extendable to up to a week in total with Ministerial authorisation.

It may not always be appropriate for healthcare professionals to disclose confidential medical information that the patient has asked not to be disclosed. Subject to these limitations, Home Office management information indicates that 12 pregnant women were detained in the immigration detention estate between 12 July 2016 and 30 September 2016. Of these women, 1 was removed from the UK.

The section 60 limitations, along with a new policy on adults at risk in detention, and other improvements to caseworking processes, represent a comprehensive package of safeguards for pregnant women in the immigration system.