§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers are currently held in category A prisons. [29182]
§ Mr. Mike O'Brien[holding answer 12 February 1998]: The available information on persons detained solely under Immigration Act powers in those prisons in England and Wales that contain category A accommodation is given in the table.
I regret that reliable information on the detention location of asylum seekers can be obtained only by examining individual case records and is, therefore, only available at disproportionate cost.
Persons recorded as being detained solely under Immigration Act powers in prisons in England and Wales which contain category Aaccommodation1 2as at 31 December 19973 Prison establishment Total detainees Belmarsh 9 Bristol 7 Doncaster 3 High Down 19 Manchester 2 Other 2 Total 42 1 These prisons may also contain accommodation of categories other than category A. 2 Detainees may be held in accommodation of a category other than category A. 3 Data are provisional.