§ Mr. Alex CarlileTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many immigration detainees have been transferred from HM prison Haslar to HM prison Rochester in each of the last three months; and if he will make a statement on the factors underlying the transfers. [17401]
§ Miss Widdecombe[holding answer 24 February 1997]: During the period 1 November to 31 January, a total of 10 immigration detainees were transferred from Haslar to Rochester. There were two such transfers in November 1996, three in December 1996 and five in January 1997.
Detainees may be transferred for a variety of reasons, but a number of transfers in early February resulted from planned refurbishment work at Haslar, which has now been postponed.