HC Deb 02 July 1998 vol 315 c249W
Mr. Burstow

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the criteria on the basis of which asylum seekers detained under the immigration acts are classified as Category C status. [48306]

Mr. Mike O'Brien

Detainees held under sole Immigration Act powers are not classified in accordance with Prison Service categorisation. The only exception would be where someone was held for reasons of national security.

Most detainees are held in Immigration Service detention accommodation (which is not categorised according to Prison Service specifications), or the discrete centres at Rochester and Haslar. Those held in other Prison Service establishments are usually accommodated with remand prisoners and are therefore held in local prisons or remand centres which are category B security standard because of the wide range of offenders.