Safety
Repeated
The Board has observed that some children had extended waits in the CWA. There are no facilities for children in this area, nor is the environment comparable to that in the family room.
Safety
The child-sized benches with an adult-height table in the family room at London City Airport pose a risk of injury to detained people.
Safety
The safety of people being removed may be compromised if there are insufficient escorts to control a difficult situation, particularly in complex cases.
Staffing
Repeated
The Board recommends that more officers be deployed at peak times to avoid unnecessarily extended periods of detention in the controlled waiting areas and the holding rooms.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Those held in the CWAs have no, or very limited, privacy, other than in Terminal 4, where a thin partition affords privacy. The CWA at Terminal 2 appears to be too small for the number of people regularly held there.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Repeated
Not all detainees are offered a translator on arrival, and delays or unavailability of certain languages in The Big Word translation service cause problems for inductions and communication.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Repeated
Holding rooms are not equipped for stays over 24 hours, but detainees frequently have long stays, often overnight, without sufficient mattresses and blankets, or access to natural light and fresh air.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
The temperature in the holding rooms, both at London Heathrow and London City Airport, is sometimes too cold or too hot, and Detention Custody Officers (DCOs) are unable to control it directly.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
Toilet seats in holding rooms at Heathrow have still not been installed in Terminal 5, and showers in Terminals 2 and 3 were frequently out of order.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Repeated
In previous reports, we have recommended that DCOs are reminded to engage regularly with detained people during their long periods of detention because they may not remember everything they have been told during their induction.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Repeated
Lack of internet access still causes problems with translation devices and prevents passengers who struggle to communicate verbally to interact with their environment. This is a particular problem in Terminal 2. The promised internet trial started during the year but has now stalled.
Complaints/Property
The quality and tone of responses to questions raised in our monitoring reports are variable and we are concerned that agencies may be missing opportunities to learn from complaints and improve practices.
Healthcare
Repeated
People detained at London City Airport and Eaton House still do not have access to their own prescribed or over-the-counter medication.
Resettlement/Release
Repeated
Asylum seekers (adults and children) who have been bailed sometimes face long waits for Clearsprings (the company contracted to provide transport and accommodation for asylum seekers) to pick them up. Unavailability of accommodation or transport is often given as the cause.
Other
The provided lists of legal advice providers are often unhelpful, with detainees having little prospect of accessing timely legal advice.
Food/Catering
The water fountains have not been in use since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic and have yet to be restored.
Food/Catering
Lack of choice in microwaveable meals, particularly for halal food, and infrequent availability of fresh fruit.
Source wording under review
Equality/Diversity
Non-independent wheelchair users could be denied access to holding rooms if not accompanied by a carer, as C&C staff are not trained to lift and carry disabled individuals.
Complaints/Property
Response times are variable, sometimes exceeding 20 days. The Board would like to see responses within 15 days.