Source · IMB Annual Report
Heathrow and City airports Short Term Holding Facilities
Year: 2021
Published: 17 Jun 2021
Type: Prison · Cat IRC
Recommendations: 15
Key concerns
Positive findings
The reporting period was significantly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, leading to concerns about infection control, longer detainee stays, and increased waiting times. Key issues included slow implementation of effective Covid-19 measures, inability for detainees to access personal medication, and inadequate hygiene and family facilities in some terminals. Despite these challenges, Detention Custody Officers were observed to be largely kind and courteous.
Safety statistics
| Indicator | This year | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Self-harm incidents | 1 | — |
Positive findings
The Board noted significant improvements in several areas, including the provision of legal advice information, enhanced communication facilities like dual handset phones and translation tablets, and better detainee comfort with more mattresses. DCOs generally maintained a kind and courteous approach, and inductions have improved. Complaint investigations were found to be thorough and fair.
Key concerns
Safety
The Board remains concerned about the possible risk of infection as the holding rooms have no fresh air and, when they become crowded, social distancing cannot be maintained. The Board recommends that additional accommodation be used for the safety of the detainees and staff.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Due to the pandemic, detainees have been held at Heathrow for longer periods, with more frequent stays of over 24 hours, particularly when waiting for the fewer turnaround return flights.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
From our limited observations, the frequency of detainees waiting in the controlled waiting areas for over two hours before being admitted to the holding rooms has increased.
Healthcare
Repeated
Detainees can rarely access any medication that they have in their possession, even though this can cause them anxiety and may put their health and well-being at risk. The Board is concerned about the great length of time it is taking the Home Office to find a solution to this issue.
Estate/Conditions
There are no showers in Terminal 5 and the shower in Terminal 2 was out of action for most of the year. Detainees refused entry to the UK, with long waits before return flights, could only access the showers at Cayley House, in Terminal 3, if there were sufficient vans and escorts to take them.
Equality/Diversity
In Terminal 5 the facilities for families and unaccompanied children are inadequate.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Detainees are unable to access Wi-Fi and the internet, so limiting their ability to communicate with family, friends and employers and to access their own personal information stored on their devices.
Estate/Conditions
The proposed relocation of the holding room at Eaton House has been halted. The facilities are cramped and men and women are not segregated, both of which affect detainee welfare.
Recommendations
| # | Recommendation | Addressee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Home Office should ensure that the new system for giving detainees access to their prescription and over-the-counter medication is designed and implemented without further delay. Repeated | Home Office | |
| 2 | The Home Office should progress the provision of new, expanded, holding rooms in Eaton House as soon as possible as these are urgently needed. | Home Office | |
| 3 | The Board repeats its recommendation that the Home Office should substantially improve the facilities for families and children in Terminal 5. These are currently excessively cramped and they lack integrated toilet, shower and baby-changing facilities. Repeated | Home Office | |
| 4 | The Home Office should progress the provision of a shower in Terminal 5 to comply with the National Holding Room Standards. | Home Office | |
| 5 | The Board repeats its recommendation that the Home Office should arrange for Wi-Fi and internet access for detainees in all holding rooms, even if it is only available when DCOs can supervise access. Repeated | Home Office | |
| 6 | The Board requests that a resolution is found to the frequent failure of the Vasco translator device to function in the Terminal 5 holding room. | Home Office | |
| 7 | The Board encourages the Home Office to complete their review of the provision of sacred books in all the holding rooms, and to provide new stocks of books as required. | Home Office | |
| 8 | The Home Office and detention contractor should ensure that their respective policies and guidance on pandemic precautions are strictly adhered to by staff, visitors and, as far as is practicable, by detainees. | Home Office | |
| 9 | The Board recommends that the maximum safe capacity of each holding room under social distancing conditions should be established by a public health expert and made known to all staff concerned, and that this limit should be strictly adhered to at all times. Plans should be put in place for an alternative holding area when these limits are exceeded. | Home Office | |
| 10 | We repeat last year’s recommendation that when escorting detainees from holding room to van, restraints are only applied when a dynamic risk assessment indicates that it is necessary and proportionate to do so. Repeated | Other | |
| 11 | The Board recommends that when escorting detainees through the airport, restraints are only applied when a dynamic risk assessment for an individual indicates that it is necessary and proportionate to do so. | Other | |
| 12 | We repeat the recommendation that the detention contractor should ensure that DCOs use the Big Word interpretation service for inducting non-English-speaking passengers and not just assume that passengers with a smattering of English really understand what they are being told. Repeated | Other | |
| 13 | We recommend that the information video screens for Terminal 2 be installed and commissioned. | Other | |
| 14 | The Board recognises the exceptional pressures created by the Covid pandemic on the Border Force organisation and its staff. Nevertheless, we recommend that more officers be deployed at peak times to avoid unnecessarily extended periods of detention in the controlled waiting areas and in the holding rooms. | Other | |
| 15 | Border Force should ensure that all its staff are aware that the terminal evacuation protocol requires that C&C are informed without delay to enable them to evacuate the holding rooms. | Other |
Report details
- Establishment
- Heathrow and City airports Short Term Holding Facilities
- Type
- Prison · Cat IRC
- Report year
- 2021
- Published
- 17 June 2021
- Responsible body
- London Heathrow and City Airports
- Recommendations
- 15
Service providers
Asylum Transport
Clearsprings
Detention Services
Mitie Care & Custody (C&C)