Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many full-time medical personnel are employed at Manston short-term holding facility; and in what roles are those personnel employed.

The Home Office does not routinely publish information relating to the number of staff working in specific locations as this would publicise operational practises which, in the wrong hands, could be used to attempt to evade controls at the border and compromise border security.

Medical services are delivered through two separate but complementary contracts with external suppliers. In total, there are 8 paramedical/medical trained staff on site by day, in a fully equipped medical centre. In addition, there are 3 Emergency Department Consultant doctors providing clinical cover at the site; a Consultant is on site during the day between 0800-2000hrs, with on-call cover provided overnight.

We currently have up to 900 staff involved in the landside small boat response which includes HO staff, Contractors (fulfilling security, detention custody, catering, medical, transport and facilities management tasks) and Military support.

The resource and staffing requirements are continually reviewed by the Home Office, working closely with contractors and stakeholders to deploy resources flexibly as and when they are required.