Immigration Removal Centres

Question

The first Community Engagement Pilot, Action Access, provided women who would otherwise be detained with a programme of support in the community. This pilot concluded on 31 March 2021. The independent evaluation of Action Access was published on 24 January 2022.

The second pilot, the Refugee and Migrant Advisory Service, supported both men and women in the community and remained in operation for two years until June 2022. The independent evaluation of the Refugee and Migrant Advisory Service is expected early in the new year. We will use the UNHCR evaluations of these pilots to inform our future approach to case-management focused alternatives to detention.

Since 2018, information on deaths in immigration detention has been included in published immigration statistics on an annual basis. Data on the number of deaths of people detained under immigration powers in each year from 2017, are published in section 8 ‘detention and returns’, table Det_05b and b of the detention summary tables, found at the following link:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1098047/detention-summary-jun-2022-tables.ods

Critical incidents in the immigration removal estate are managed, where appropriate, through a command structure. The published guidance Detention Services Order 05/2015 ‘Reporting and Communicating Incidents in the Immigration Removal Estate’ defines the category of incidents (red, amber, green) and provides instruction and guidance for staff on reporting and communicating incidents. Red (critical) incidents relate to the management of an event outside of usual centre business that has, or potentially will have a serious impact on the operation of a facility or the safety and security of staff, detained people or the wider public.

The table below sets out the operational capacity for each immigration removal centre (if all rooms and beds are in use) from 2015 to date.

The information sought on the distance individuals are moved across the UK from their place of residence in the community to an immigration removal centre is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.