Quarterly auditing of Rule 40 and Rule 42 use
Brook House Inquiry · The Brook House Inquiry Report · Issued 19 September 2023 · Addressed to: Home Office
Government responseHome Office: Accepted, fully or in part (not specified) (Jan 2025)
DeliveryHome Office says in progress (Jan 2025)
Recommendation, verbatim from the inquiry
●Inquiry recommendation
The Home Office must regularly (and at least quarterly) audit the use of Rule 40 and Rule 42 across the immigration detention estate, in order to identify trends, any training needs and required improvements. In addition, HM Inspectorate of Prisons and the National Chair and Management Board of Independent Monitoring Boards must review processes to consider how they fulfil their oversight role in respect of Rule 40 and Rule 42, and report on the monitoring of the use of Rules 40 and 42 going forward.
Brook House Inquiry, The Brook House Inquiry Report · 19 Sep 2023 Source PDF →
Published evidence summary
AI-generated evidence summary
In a January 2025 parliamentary written answer, Dame Angela Eagle, Minister of State at the Home Office, stated that the recommendation had been accepted or partially accepted and was "on track for closure by summer 2025" (Dame Angela Eagle response, Jan 2025; Dame Angela Eagle, Jan 2025). The department previously stated in its March 2024 response that it had issued an interim Detention Services Order on Rules 40 and 42, and that compliance would be audited once a substantive review of the guidance was completed (Home Office response, Mar 2024).
Sources
AI-generated summary of the record on this page, checked by a second model and automatic checks, 26 Sep 2026.
Government response
●Home Office · Accepted, fully or in part (not specified) · 15 Jan 2025
30 out of the 33 recommendations made by the Brook House Inquiry have been accepted or partially accepted.
Response document: Mistreatment of Detainees at Brook House Immigration Removal Centre Inquiry (written question UIN 23170)
Earlier statement from Home Office (1)
●Home Office · Under consideration · 19 Mar 2024
6.5.1. The Home Office has published an interim DSO to provide staff with further clarity on the use of Rule 40 (removal from association) and Rule 42 (temporary confinement) of the Detention Centre Rules 2001. This operational guidance establishes who can authorise use of Rule 40 and Rule 42 and the circumstances when this is appropriate. A substantive review of the DSO is being undertaken which will also consider assurance mechanisms and updated training for staff and, once in place, compliance with the DSO will be audited. Appropriate detail from the updated DSO will form part of ITCs.
Extract from: Government response to the public inquiry into Brook House Immigration Removal Centre
Delivery
●Home Office says in progress · 15 Jan 2025
the remaining 13 (recommendations 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 20, 21, 31, 32 and 33) on track for closure by summer 2025
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