Recommendation 1
The Board recommends that detained people should not be held at Manston for longer than 24hrs in the marquee holding rooms.
Source · IMB Annual Report
Kent Coast Short Term Holding Facilities (STHF)
AI-generated report summary The IMB report for Kent Coast STHFs in 2022 documented a year of unprecedented small boat arrivals, leading to significant overcrowding and challenges across Western Jet Foil, Kent Intake Unit, and Manston. A primary concern was the widespread practice of detaining individuals for periods far exceeding the statutory 24-hour limit in conditions deemed unsuitable, particularly at Manston. While staff were commended for their compassion, critical issues persisted regarding lack of privacy for sensitive interviews, inadequate basic provisions, poor sleeping arrangements, and insufficient information for detainees about their processing journey.
Year: 2022
Published: 23 Oct 2023
Type: Prison · Cat IRC
Recommendations: 4
Key concerns
Positive findings
Safety statistics
| Indicator | This year | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Deaths in custody | 1 | — |
Positive findings
AI-generated summaryThe Board welcomed improvements at Western Jet Foil, including a new site, improved reception system, and expanded processing areas. The new Kent Intake Unit also offered larger and more flexible holding spaces. Staff across all sites were consistently observed to be courteous, empathetic, and attentive, particularly with families and children. Food provision improved at WJF, and medical staff were available, dealing promptly with health issues like scabies. Security measures were robust, and searches were conducted sensitively. The Board also noted staff efforts to provide activities and facilitate communication for detainees.
Key concerns
Detained people should not be held at Manston for longer than 24hrs in the marquee holding rooms, as conditions are unsuitable for prolonged stays.
Detained people should be given information of their ‘process journey’ as welfare has been adversely affected by a lack of understanding of where they are moving to and why.
The Board requires weekly figures from Manston, with length of stay included from all contractors on the site, to ensure transparency.
The cleaning contract for KIU & Manston marquees must ensure consistent high levels of service to address unsatisfactory hygiene.
KIU – The Board were concerned that interviews were not held privately which would make it more difficult for detained people to reveal personal information which might be relevant to vulnerabilities, potentially causing a risk to their welfare. The induction interviews were carred out by Care and Custody.
Concerns around the privacy of healthcare screenings at Manston.
We highlight the fact that there were no proper sleeping facilities: there were no sleeping mats, and during monitoring visits in November we noted that some individuals were sleeping on flattened cardboard boxes, whilst others simply had a blanket. In these marquees, people slept in crowded conditions on the floor with no privacy between individuals who did not know each other.
Showers at Kent Intake Unit were frequently out of order or unusable for prolonged periods.
Source wording under review
At Manston, due to inadequate numbers of basic provisions such as towels, wash kits and clean clothes [5.1] occupants were at times sharing blankets. This further heightened the risk of cross-contamination and transmitting disease.
Board members reported a lack of a variety of food offered at Manston, which was largely bread-based. Breakfast and lunch were always the same and dinner rotated over three days. This would not be an issue if those held at Manston were only detained for 24 hours, as is the statutory limit for STHFs. However, with some individuals held for 30 days, the same menu was very limiting and not particularly healthy.
The IMB observed the efforts made by staff to occupy individuals detained in these settings. Despite these efforts, the IMB felt that the lack of stimulation for those being detained in marquees for extended periods led to frustration and in-fighting.
During a monitoring visit in November, staff raised concerns regarding the lack of privacy when Mitie Care & Custody were conducting induction interviews with new arrivals at Kent Intake Unit. Staff were concerned that they were having to ask sensitive questions, that they told the IMB they didn’t feel qualified to ask, or to deal with the consequences of the potential answers.
At Manston, Mitie Security were on site during the period of increased occupancy in the autumn, but they were only allowed to stand in the middle of the quadrant of marquees, rather than have any interaction with the detained people. Their role was to provide additional security, reassurance and to protect the site. During some monitoring visits these staff had wrapped themselves in bin bags, having not been provided with appropriate clothing for the weather. They were wet and cold.
Recommendations
Recommendation 2
Detained people should be given information of their ‘process journey’ The Board continues to note that the welfare of detained individuals has been adversely affected by a lack of understanding of where they are moving to and why. This occurs particularly in holding rooms. The Board understands that work has begun to address this issue but is disappointed as to the length of time that it has taken to solve this problem.
Recommendation 3
Request that their constructive engagement with the Board continues and that senior personnel continue to attend the monthly Board meetings. The Board should receive weekly figures from Manston, with length of stay included from all contractors on the site.
Recommendation 4
Request that their constructive engagement with the Board continues and that senior personnel continue to attend the monthly Board meetings. Ensure that the cleaning contract for KIU & Manston marquees have consistent high levels of service.
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