§ Mr. MalinsTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 13 November 1997,Official Report, column 645, for what reasons immigration detainees are held in prison establishments other than Haslar and Rochester; what arrangements are made to separate immigration detainees from convicted prisoners; what extra (a) facilities and (b) provision is made for immigration detainees above that for convicted prisoners; and what language interpretation is provided for immigration detainees who have limited command of the English language. [20957]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienUnder an agreement with the Prison Service, a number of places are made available for immigration detainees in Prison Service establishments other than Haslar and Rochester.
256WDetainees are normally held either together in a separate block of living accommodation or with unconvicted prisoners. They are treated in the same way as unconvicted prisoners for purposes of prison management, and as such have the special rights and privileges under Prison rules and instructions which flow from unconvicted status.
Translation services are available under a contract administered by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate; every establishment has access to Language Line, a 24-hour telephone interpreting service, which is subsidised centrally; a list of accredited interpreters is available from the National Register of Public Service Interpreters, which is administered by the Institute of Linguists; establishments have been advised to maintain a list of members of staff and prisoners who can speak foreign languages and of any community services available locally. A number of foreign language documents, issued centrally by the Prison Service, are made available to non-English speaking prisoners and detainees explaining prison rules and procedures.