HC Deb 12 December 1995 vol 268 cc615-6W
Dr. Godman

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the prisons within which(a) illegal immigrants and (b) other deportees are detained while awaiting deportation to their countries of origin; what was the number of these detainees in each of the prisons concerned in each of the last four years; and if he will make a statement. [4829]

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton

The subject of the question relates to matters undertaken by the Scottish Prison Service. I have asked its chief executive, Mr. E. W. Frizzell, to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from E. W. Frizzell to Dr. Norman A. Godman, dated 12 December 1995:

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton has asked me to reply to your Question relating to the prisons within which illegal immigrants and other deportees are detained whilst awaiting deportation to their countries of origin.Illegal immigrants and persons awaiting deportation can be detained within any penal establishment but are normally held in the nearest local prison.Information on the number of persons held as illegal immigrants and persons awaiting deportation is not collected in the form requested. Information is, however, collected monthly on the average population of such detainees and the tables below show the average in each of the past four years.

totals represents less than 1 per cent. of all fine default receptions in any one year. Information is not collected centrally on whether individuals received for fine default are in receipt of income support or other social security benefits.

1991 1992 1993 1994
(a) Illegal immigrants
Aberdeen 0.1 0.8 0.7 1.4
Barlinnie 0.1 0.3 1.4 0.3
Cornton
Vale 1— — — —
Dumfries 0.1 0.8 1— 0.3
Edinburgh 0.4 1.3 1.4 1.2
Greenock 0.7 6.8 8.0 8.8
Inverness 1— 0.1 1— 1—
Perth 0.6 0.2 0.2 1—
Scotland2 1.9 10.2 11.7 12.1
(b) Persons awaiting deportation
Aberdeen 1— — — —
Barlinnie — — 1— —
Dumfries 1— — — —
Edinburgh 0.4 0.2 — 0.2
Greenock 0.1 0.1 — —
Inverness — 1— 1— 0.1
Scotland 0.5 0.3 1— 0.3
1Less than 0.1.
2Components may not add to totals due to rounding.