Written questions, answers and statements

Migrants: Detainees

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Question for Home Office

UIN 45192, tabled on 11 May 2020

Question

Chi Onwurah
Labour
Newcastle upon Tyne Central
Commons

To ask the Secretary for the Home Department, whether detainees released from detention centres have received testing for covid-19.

Answer

Chris Philp
Conservative
Croydon South
Commons

Answered on

18 May 2020

The safety and health of people in the detention estate is of the utmost importance. We are following all Public Health England guidance and have robust contingency plans in place.

All immigration removal centres have dedicated health facilities run by doctors and nurses which are managed by the NHS or appropriate providers. The Home Office, its suppliers and NHS England healthcare providers in immigration removal centres are following PHE guidelines for the management of COVID-19.

Universal testing is not currently recommended under these guidelines for those in detention or those being released. Testing of individuals in immigration detention, including those released from immigration removal centres, will be dependent on individual circumstances.

There are no cases of Covid-19 in the immigration removal estate at present.

Answered by

Home Office
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