Source · IMB Annual Report
Gatwick, Stansted, Luton and Lunar House
Year: 2022
Published: 1 Jun 2022
Type: Prison · Cat IRC (STHF)
Population: 1,041
Recommendations: 9
Key concerns
Positive findings
The IMB report for Gatwick, Stansted, Luton airports and Lunar House covers the period ending January 2022, noting a significant increase in detained individuals. While C&C officers are generally compassionate, the Board highlights ongoing concerns about the inadequacy of holding rooms at all locations for increasing numbers, extended stays, and vulnerable individuals. Key issues include limited space, lack of natural light, absence of showers, and persistent problems with access to onsite healthcare professionals and timely medication.
Positive findings
The Board found that C&C officers generally provide care safely, sensitively, and with compassion, and have good working relationships with Border Force. Inductions are comprehensive, and a C&C officer's innovation of picture cards for translation and food ordering is commended. Covid contingency arrangements were efficiently activated, and removals were generally conducted efficiently and sensitively.
Key concerns
Overcrowding
Repeated
The current size and capacity of the holding rooms at both Luton and Stansted are, in our view, inadequate to ensure the safe and decent detention of individuals in the increasing numbers seen towards the end of the reporting period.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
The limited size and lack of privacy mean that the C&C offices at Luton and Stansted are not suitable for the carrying out of inductions, particularly when translation services need to be accessed.
Estate/Conditions
The facilities at Gatwick’s North Terminal for accommodating families, children and vulnerable detained individuals are inadequate.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Repeated
The small size and lack of adequate sleeping facilities and the absence of showers within the holding rooms, other than in Gatwick’s South Terminal, make them unsuitable for detention, particularly for children and vulnerable individuals, for extended periods of time.
Equality/Diversity
For those detained individuals with limited mobility or who have sight or hearing loss or other physical limitations, other than at Gatwick’s South Terminal, no specific provision has been made at any of the airport holding rooms. Our monitoring suggests that unless such limitations are declared by the individual or are obvious, they may not always be recognised.
Mental Health
The mental health of detained individuals, in what can be a challenging environment may not always be adequately assessed.
Healthcare
Repeated
The Board’s concerns, relating to detained individuals’ lack of access to prescribed medication, have continued during the reporting period. Detained individuals did not routinely have access to ‘on site’ healthcare professionals. This is a situation which, in the Board’s view is unsatisfactory and potentially dangerous.
Other
Detained individuals must surrender their luggage and most of their personal effects, including all internet enabled devices and those with cameras, on arrival in the holding facility but no secure storage area for this luggage is provided [at Gatwick].
Complaints/Property
Despite there being an agreed procedure in place to notify the IMB that the South terminal holding facility had been opened, this procedure has not always been followed.
Recommendations
| # | Recommendation | Addressee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | at Gatwick, Luton, and Stansted airports, dedicated medical practitioners should be available, on a 24/7 basis to, where appropriate, authorise the taking of their own medication by detained individuals, or where there is an urgent need, to prescribe medication. Repeated | Other | |
| 2 | at Gatwick, Luton, and Stansted airports, dedicated medical practitioners should be available on, a 24/7 basis, to provide detained individuals with necessary physical and mental healthcare. Repeated | Other | |
| 3 | The short-term holding facilities at Gatwick airport’s North Terminal, for families, children and vulnerable detained individuals should be improved, by the provision of additional accommodation. Repeated | Home Office | |
| 4 | In addition, the seating in the family room, which is old and worn, should be replaced. Repeated | Home Office | |
| 5 | The holding rooms at each of the airports monitored should be re-assessed and where necessary, re-configured to allow detained individuals with limited mobility and other physical limitations to access and move around the facilities more easily. Hearing loops should also be installed in all holding rooms. Repeated | Home Office | |
| 6 | At Stansted airport’s short-term holding facility, a separate, secure family room should be provided, and this should generally be reserved for the use of families, single females, and vulnerable individuals. Repeated | Home Office | |
| 7 | At Luton airport we observed that a C&C officer has developed a series of picture cards to assist with translation. Pictures of the food available are also now used and we are told that this system seems to have encouraged more residents to eat during their stay. The Board believes that this is an innovation which should be utilises at other STHFs. | Home Office | |
| 8 | As stated above, at Gatwick, Luton, and Stansted airports, dedicated medical practitioners should be available, on a 24/7 basis to, where appropriate, authorise the taking of their own medication by detained individuals, or where there is an urgent need, to prescribe medication. Repeated | NHS / Healthcare Provider | |
| 9 | at Gatwick, Luton, and Stansted airports, dedicated medical practitioners should be available on, a 24/7 basis, to provide detained individuals with necessary physical and mental healthcare. Repeated | NHS / Healthcare Provider |
Other reports for Gatwick, Stansted, Luton and Lunar House
Report details
- Establishment
- Gatwick, Stansted, Luton and Lunar House
- Type
- Prison · Cat IRC (STHF)
- Report year
- 2022
- Published
- 1 June 2022
- Recommendations
- 9
Population
| Population | 1,041 |