Detention Centres: Coronavirus
(asked on 6th July 2020) - View Source
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many cases of COVID-19 have been recorded in UK immigration removal centres.
Answered by
Baroness Williams of Trafford
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The safety and health of people who are detained are of the utmost importance.
As of 7 July 2020, there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in immigration removal centres. Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been two confirmed cases of COVID-19 in individuals in detention, a third individual was also identified but after release from detention had been agreed. None of these individuals required hospital treatment.
The Home Office, its suppliers and NHS England healthcare providers in immigration removal centres are following all Public Health England guidance on COVID-19 for the management of COVID-19.
The Home Office is also taking proactive steps to monitor, manage and mitigate the threat of COVID-19 to staff and people who are detained and to reduce the likelihood of the infection spreading. Guidance on managing these risks was implemented on 5 May 2020 and subsequently published on gov.uk on 5 June https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-immigration-removal-centres.