Safety
The current Covid-19 pandemic crisis has uncovered a number of concerns regarding the safe custody of detainees and those visiting and working in the holding rooms. Directions from the Home Office (HO) regarding the provision of PPE and associated equipment and advice on safe working practices etc., have been reactive rather than proactive. Delays have caused considerable confusion and concern and, in some cases, individual uncoordinated actions have been taken. For example, C&C taking their own initiative to purchase electronic, non-contact thermometers so that the initial temperature of detainees could be measured. This was, in our opinion, a sensible action, given that the presence of a high body temperature is recognised as an indicator of the possible presence of the virus. The HO then instructed C&C not to use the devices until they (HO) made a decision about the use, so, to date, the devices remain unused. Also, instructions for the mandatory wearing of face masks, in all establishments, were issued at a very late stage. It was well into the period when travellers from abroad could have been entering the airport HRs with the Covid-19 infection. We raised concerns about the provision of hand sanitisers but were puzzled about the reluctance to provide fixed, wall mounted units at each entrance to HRs. Portable bottle hand sanitisers were placed in the HRs but we feel that these are totally unsuitable, particularly since there is evidence that at least one detainee tried to drink the fluid, which contains alcohol. Space limitations within the HRs have made social distancing particularly difficult. We are also concerned about the lack of air circulation as there are no windows in any of the airport HRs. These factors will severely restrict the future utilization of the HRs, as international travel returns and traveller volume increases. The safe working capacity of each HR will require reassessment.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
In our report last year, we recommended that the holding room in Terminal 1 at Edinburgh Airport (EDI) be relocated to the new Terminal 2. This has now become a major issue. Upwards of two thirds of passengers arriving at Edinburgh now travel through Terminal 2 (T2) and this has impacted on the efficiency of the detention process with detainees having to be sometimes walked 20-25 minutes through public areas to the HR. This has implications for both public security and the dignity of detainees. While in the majority of cases detainees are transported by van, there is a limited number of United Kingdom Border Force (UKBF) officers authorised as airside drivers and, in any case, the process impacts negatively on the efficient use of staff. We also understand that, because of the potential time scales involved in transporting detainees between T1 and T2, UKBF may on occasion hold detainees at T2, for example where Border Force are trying to confirm a repatriation flight. We consider the facilities at T2 are not suitable for this.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
The accommodation assigned for use by female detainees at Larne House STHF is inadequately separated from the male accommodation. We were assured that the female area was going to be partitioned however this work still remains outstanding.
Healthcare
Repeated
We continue to have concerns regarding detainees arriving in the HRs with their personal prescription medication, or requiring access to additional supplies of that medication. UKBF officers and C&C DCOs routinely remove the medicines from the individual detainees and are also forbidden, for health and safety reasons, from administering medicines. This was raised in last year’s report and we were assured that it would be addressed. We are extremely concerned that this issue is still outstanding and that the health of individual detainees could be jeopardised by this.
Equality/Diversity
DCOs at the EDI HR have a calendar of notable religious festivals. However staff at the other locations do not have this and may not be aware of the significance of special days regarding the faith adherence requirements of detainees.
Equality/Diversity
Access to the toilet facilities at the Glasgow Airport (GLA) holding room is not possible for those with wheelchairs. Disabled detainees would have to be escorted, by a DCO, to facilities elsewhere within the airport terminal building. We feel that the dignity of the disabled person is compromised because of this, and from an operational and safety viewpoint, we are concerned that a DCO can sometimes be left to supervise the detention of a number of other detainees on her or his own.
Safety
There is the risk of a fall for those with mobility issues because there are no hand grips beside the toilets in the GLA and EDI HRs.
Equality/Diversity
There are no provisions, such as signs in Braille, for those with sight issues within the HRs, nor is there any magnifying facility.
Equality/Diversity
There are no provisions within the HRs for detainees with hearing loss.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
DCOs are often required to escort detainees to a departure flight; however, there are no airport arrival/departure screens within the holding rooms at EDI and GLA. While DCOs obviously have access to the airport internet screen, these are not always accurate so a DCO has to leave the HR and go into the airport area to check the departure time in order to ensure that the detainee can be boarded, discreetly, by arriving either in front or at the end the queue of other boarding passengers.
Equality/Diversity
Although technically only one of the mats has an inbuilt Qibla, there is an additional Qibla located on the shelf alongside the prayer mats at EDI, and at least one at each other location. We are not aware of detainees ever having difficulty in locating the direction of Mecca. However, a jug for water ablutions was not always present in all HRs.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
We are disappointed that the HO did not accept our recommendation for a review by DEPMU of the adequacy of the holding rooms at Glasgow and Edinburgh airports. We think the Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the need to reconsider this, particularly with regard to the lack of air circulation within their confined areas. We are also concerned that the facilities may not cater adequately for detainees with physical disabilities.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
We have voiced our concerns about the lack of showering facilities within the HR at EDI and GLA which would facilitate overnight use of both holding rooms. We are disappointed that this was not taken up by the HO particularly given that we suggested that alternative showering facilities could be sourced elsewhere within the airports’ secure areas.