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Scotland and Northern Ireland Short-Term Holding Facilities

AI-generated report summary This IMB annual report for Scotland and Northern Ireland's Short-Term Holding Facilities (STHFs) highlights significant welfare concerns for the reporting year ending January 2022. Key issues include widespread disability access shortfalls across the estate, an unacceptable increase in extended detentions in unsuitable airport holding rooms, and the unresolved problem of managing detainees' prescription medication. The Board also notes long-overdue facility upgrades at Larne House and inadequate ventilation systems, particularly concerning Covid-19 risks.

Year: 2022 Published: 11 Aug 2022 Type: Prison · Cat STHF Recommendations: 10 Key concerns Positive findings
Original IMB report page ↗

Safety statistics

Incidents during reporting year
IndicatorThis yearPrevious
Deaths in custody0—
Self-harm incidents2—
Use of force1—

Positive findings

AI-generated summary
The Board generally found facilities safe for those without disabilities and commended C&C DCOs and UKBF staff for treating detainees respectfully, empathetically, and maintaining a caring culture. Health and wellbeing needs are generally met, and there has been an improvement in recording risks for vulnerable individuals. The Board also noted the successful resolution of some previous recommendations and the general accessibility of Aberdeen airport's holding room, with staff trained in disability awareness. Larne House is described as compact, clean, and fairly well decorated.

Key concerns

10 items
Equality/Diversity Repeated The lack of provision within the immigration detention estate, within our remit, for people in detention who have disability issues and the majority of HRs and the RSTHF do not meet current national disability access standards.
Regime/Time Out of Cell Repeated An unacceptable increase, compared to previous years, in the number of people detained for more than eight hours, and sometimes overnight, in HRs which are not equipped or suitable for this, lacking basic hygiene facilities such as showers.
Estate/Conditions Repeated Holding Rooms (HRs) are in a number of cases not suitable for their intended purpose, with Prestwick airport's HR deemed totally unsuitable due to inaccessibility to wheelchairs, lack of CCTV, and no internal toilet facilities. Source wording under review
Safety Repeated Generally there are very few windows with openings to allow for the free flow of air within all HRs and the residential STHF, resulting in inadequate ventilation systems that do not ensure the Covid-19 virus does not circulate freely.
Equality/Diversity Repeated Planned building alterations, to ensure the safety and dignity of female detained people held at Larne House RSTHF, have not been completed and continue to be long overdue.
Healthcare Repeated Generally, the health and wellbeing needs of detained people are met in a satisfactory manner. We are, however seriously concerned that the Home Office has still not satisfactorily resolved the major issue regarding detained people’s medication. Personal medicines are removed, we are told for safety reasons, when people enter the detention estate. We have not seen evidence that there is a satisfactory regime for making sure that each person then receives their medicine at the prescribed time. This has the potential to present serious health risks to those who need to take their prescribed medicines regularly.
Estate/Conditions Repeated The bedrooms within Larne House RSTHF urgently require upgrading as the beds are not fit for purpose and there are no suitable seats available for detained people to use in their rooms for private use.
Estate/Conditions The decor and general furnishing at Edinburgh airport HRs are in real need of redecoration.
Regime/Time Out of Cell Repeated People are still being held for unacceptable lengths of time at the landing gates at Terminal 2, Edinburgh Airport, despite assurances regarding airside drivers, as the facilities at the gates are not appropriate for detention.
Equality/Diversity Repeated The welcomed Vasco translation devices have been removed due to a fault, impacting communication with detained people, while a suitable replacement is yet to be sourced. Source wording under review

Recommendations

10 items · 9 repeated

Recommendation 1

Addressee: Other — minister

We would urge the Minister to request that the Home Office carry out an urgent assessment of the risks to detained people as a result of the removal of their prescription medications. These risks should then be taken into account when designing a practical strategy for ensuring that detained people receive their appropriate medication. The desired outcome would be that the health and wellbeing needs of all detained people are met.

Repeated Source text verified

Recorded status:

Topic: Healthcare

Recommendation 2

Addressee: Home Office

The HO should now commission a full national audit of the whole Immigration Detention Estate. An overall plan, with appropriate timelines, should then be drawn up to address the deficiencies identified at each location. The desired outcome would be detention facilities which meet current legal requirements, and thus ensure that all detained people, particularly those with disabilities, are treated in a dignified and humane manner.

Repeated Source text verified

Recorded status:

Topic: Equality

Recommendation 3

Addressee: Other — minister

Firstly, the Minister is urged to review the decision to increase the maximum permitted length of stay to eight hours. Secondly, we would ask that the Home Office identify and address the reasons for the considerable increase, compared to previous years, in numbers of people being detained in the Glasgow and Edinburgh airports HRs for more than eight hours. The desired outcome, for both recommendations, would be that detained people experience a more humane experience on transfer or removal.

Repeated Source text verified

Recorded status:

Topic: Regime

Recommendation 4

Addressee: Other — minister

We suggest, that in the light of the delays and the requirement to provide facilities compliant with disability access requirements, that the Minister reconsiders the decision to partially accept our recommendation for a HR in Terminal 2, and to now fully commit to the recommendation. The desired outcome would be that the delays in people being transferred from the control desk to the HR would be reduced and the facility would comply with disability access requirements. Hygiene facilities such as showers could be incorporated in the new HR, thus providing for the fair and humane treatment of all detained people.

Repeated Source text verified

Recorded status:

Topic: Estate

Recommendation 5

Addressee: Home Office

We would ask that a suitable replacement for the Vasco units be sourced and provided as a priority. The desired outcome would be that communications with detained people could be greatly enhanced, thus ensuring their welfare.

Repeated Source text verified

Recorded status:

Topic: Equality

Recommendation 6

Addressee: Home Office

We strongly recommend that, as a first step, UKBF, Immigration Enforcement (HOIE) and C&C undertake a technical risk assessment of their premise. Should the assessment advise that appropriate forced air ventilation be installed, we then urge that the work is given priority status. The desired outcome would be that the health and wellbeing of detained people and the staff working in those establishments are maintained.

Repeated Source text verified

Recorded status:

Topic: Safety

Recommendation 7

Addressee: Governor / Director

We therefore now request that a detailed plan, complete with achievable timelines, be provided to the Board. The desired outcome will be that the safety and dignity of women in detention can be assured.

Repeated Source text verified

Recorded status:

Topic: Equality

Recommendation 8

Addressee: Governor / Director

We recommend that the bedroom accommodation is improved, thus affording appropriate sleeping accommodation and facilities for private time. The outcome would be the fair and humane detention of each detained person.

Repeated Source text verified

Recorded status:

Topic: Estate

Recommendation 9

Addressee: Governor / Director

We recommend that C&C commission the redecoration of the existing HRs as soon as possible to ensure a fresh and welcoming environment for detained people. The desired outcome would be the humane detention of each detained person.

Source text verified

Recorded status:

Topic: Estate

Recommendation 10

Addressee: Home Office

We recommend that the HR be brought up to basic requirements by UKBF installing portable secure Wi-Fi and connecting a CCTV system to it. We understand that a section of elevator had been removed and stored elsewhere in the terminal. It could be brought back into service. The desired outcome would be that detained people would be detained within a safe and secure facility, appropriate to their needs.

Repeated Source text verified

Recorded status:

Topic: Estate