Source · IMB Annual Report

South and East 2023-24 Short Term Holding Facilities (STHF)

Year: 2024 Published: 18 Jul 2024 Type: Prison · Cat IRC Recommendations: 8 Key concerns Positive findings

The IMB's annual report for South and East STHFs highlights critical concerns about capacity, detainee welfare, and facility conditions. It notes that STHFs, designed for short-term holding, regularly detain individuals for over 24 hours in overcrowded, undignified environments lacking adequate sleeping facilities, privacy, and fresh air. Key issues include the slow progress on disability access, inadequate maintenance, and insufficient privacy during inductions and healthcare assessments, with several recommendations made to the Minister and Home Office.

Positive findings

The Board observed C&C officers demonstrating tact, sensitivity, and care, especially when dealing with vulnerable individuals and using multi-language skills. Aeromed's 24/7 service at key airports was appreciated, with staff noted for their compassionate approach. Relations between C&C and Border Force staff were generally good, and induction processes appeared to follow procedures enabling risk identification.

Key concerns

16 items

Safety The Board is very concerned about the size of the accommodation, especially at Luton Airport, and the potential fire safety implications.

Equality/Diversity Repeated For the second year in succession, the Board draws the Home Office’s attention to the capacity issues at many of the airports’ STHFs and the fact that the needs of those with mobility, hearing or sight impairment issues are still not being adequately addressed.

Estate/Conditions In the opinion of the Board the STHF at the Port of Felixstowe does not provide a humane place for holding people.

Regime/Time Out of Cell There are a limited number of sleeping mattresses in the STHFs and the Board consider that it is inhumane to require people to sleep on the floor or on chairs. The Board considers it is not acceptable that detained persons, who are often held for more than 24 hours, have totally inadequate provision for rest or sleep.

Overcrowding The Board is very concerned that people are regularly detained for long periods and, in some cases, over 24-hours, in STHFs, which are designed to hold people for very short periods only.

Regime/Time Out of Cell The STHFs the Board monitors are not residential establishments and do not have adequate facilities for sleeping or exercise and do not offer any privacy. Other than Gatwick South, no airport holding rooms provide showers.

Equality/Diversity Repeated The Board is very disappointed about the lack of progress on the Disability Access Review that was committed to in previous Ministerial Responses.

Healthcare The Board is very concerned about the lack of privacy afforded to detained persons during the initial induction at some of the STHFs, or whilst being examined by an Aeromed health professional.

Estate/Conditions The Board continues to be concerned about the length of time it takes to resolve problems associated with the maintenance and repair of airport facilities.

Resettlement/Release We are concerned about the contractual support provided by Clearsprings and the delays experienced by detained people waiting to be transferred to asylum accommodation.

Staffing The Board is concerned that body worn cameras (BWC) are not automatically given to all C&C officers, noting that at some locations Border Force staff wear BWCs whilst working in the same environment.

Food/Catering In June 2023, it was decided Border Force Officers were not able to serve hot food or drinks to detained individuals, as the STHFs they managed did not comply with UK Food Safety requirements. This was unresolved at the end of the Board’s reporting year in January 2024 and detained people were still only being offered cold food and, in some locations, cold drinks.

Regime/Time Out of Cell In our view the current arrangements are generally inadequate across the STHFs and when a facility is reconfigured, a separate secure storage area for the property of detained persons should be provided, ideally within view of the holding room.

Staffing The staffing arrangement at C&C-managed STHFs can on occasions result in only one member of staff being available whilst others are performing escort duties. The Board believes that there is a risk that this could impact on the care that C&C Officers provide.

Regime/Time Out of Cell Although coin-operated payphones are available in holding rooms, they are not always operating correctly and can take a long time to fix, for example the payphone at Gatwick North was first noted as faulty by the Board on the 5 October 2023 and at the end of the reporting year the fault was still outstanding. Many people, including international travellers only use internet services such as WhatsApp for both outbound and inbound calls. In the opinion of the Board the Home Office need to increase the pace of the project that they are investigating to allow detained persons access to internet calling, as it is often the only way that they can contact families and friends.

Regime/Time Out of Cell At Luton we have observed the use of handcuffs when residents are moved through public areas of the airport and the Board considers this not to be in compliance with STHF Rule 11 - Short-term Holding Facility Rules 2018 amended by Short-term Holding Facility (Amendment) Rules 2022.

Recommendations

8 items · 1 repeated

#	Recommendation	Addressee
1	The Board is very disappointed that the Disability Access Review has not been completed for the second year and as noted in 3.2 and 5.3 the Minister needs to take steps to ensure that this review is completed and that any recommendations made are implemented. The current STHFs do not provide adequate support for those with limited mobility, sight or hearing impairment. Repeated	Other
2	The Board recommends that the Minister reviews the accommodation capacity especially as noted in 4.3 and 5.1. There is an increasing number of people held overnight at the STHFs which are not designed for overnight accommodation and in some places do not provide a dignified and humane space.	Other
3	The Board recommends that the Home Office review the capacity of each of the holding rooms.	Home Office
4	As noted in 5.1 the Board recommends that the capacity at Luton Airport STHF is reviewed urgently, due to the potential impact on the safety of detained persons and staff in the event of a fire. The facility regularly has luggage over-spilling from the kitchen and the number of residents in a day has been as high as 31, on 12 January 2024. It is not unusual to have more than 20 detained persons in a 24-hour period at Luton Airport, which is the stated capacity.	Home Office
5	The Board recommends where floor space is sufficient such as Gatwick North and South main holding rooms, that the adequate provision of sleeping mattresses should be reviewed.	Home Office
6	The Board recommends that action should be taken to reduce the number of detained persons staying in airport STHFs overnight and to reduce the number of detained persons held for longer than 24 hours, as noted in 5.1.	Home Office
7	As noted in 4.4 the Board recommends that the Home Office gain a contractual commitment from the port authority to resolve issues with the fabric of the STHFs in a timely manner.	Home Office
8	As noted in 7.3, the Board recommends that the Home Office reviews the use of handcuffs at Luton Airport when residents are moved through public areas as the Board considers this not to be in compliance with STHF Rule 11 - Short-term Holding Facility Rules 2018 amended by Short-term Holding Facility (Amendment) Rules 2022.	Home Office

Report details

Establishment: South and East 2023-24 Short Term Holding Facilities (STHF)
Type: Prison · Cat IRC
Report year: 2024
Published: 18 July 2024
Recommendations: 8

Service providers

Accommodation and Transfer

Clearsprings

Custody and Care / Management

Mitie Care and Custody (C&C)

Healthcare

Aeromed

Source links

IMB report page → imb.org.uk →