§ Mr. CorbynTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) suicides and (b) attempted suicides have been recorded amongst immigration detainees in each year since 1992; and if he will make a statement. [33749]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienThere have been no suicides in immigration detention centres since 1992. One immigration detainee committed suicide in Her Majesty's Prison Norwich on 25 August 1995, where he had completed a prison sentence and was awaiting deportation.
Information concerning those who may have attempted suicide is not available in the form requested. However, statistics concerning incidents of self-harm in immigration detention accommodation are reproduced in the table. It is not possible to say how many, if any, of the incidents can be regarded as attempted suicide.
Information concerning incidents of self-harm in relation to immigration detainees held in Prison Service accommodation is available only at disproportionate cost.
Year Immigration Detention 1992 10 1993 16 1994 15 1995 14 1996 14 1997 10 1Statistical information incomplete.
§ Mr. CorbynTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions have taken place between officials of the Immigration Service and Group 4 concerning treatment of detainees; and what specialist training is given to staff involved with detainees. [33842]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienDiscussions between the Immigration Service and Group 4 about the management of Detention Centres are routine and regular. Immigration Service staff based at centres provide routine monitoring of performance against contracts and, in the case of Campsfield House, there is thorough external monitoring under the provisions of the IS 9002 quality assurance programme. In addition, senior staff pay regular visits to Detention Centres and have discussions with local managers and company directors.
342WAll personnel employed by Group 4 [Total Security] Limited are required to undergo a training programme which includes duty of care, health and safety, suicide prevention, security management, race relations, cultural and ethnic considerations and first aid.
§ Mr. CorbynTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the dates on which disturbances took place at Campsfield House between January 1993 and July 1997 and in each case the numbers of detainees involved, the action taken by security staff, police and immigration officials and the subsequent Ministerial action. [33843]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienCampsfield House immigration detention centre opened on 29 November 1993. Up until July 1997, there had been 4 incidents best described as disturbances.
Dates Nature of incident Number of detainees 24 December 1993 Concerted indiscipline 40–50 5–6 June 1994 Concerted indiscipline 60–70 29 November 1996 Rooftop protest 1 21 May 1997 Rooftop protest 16 The incidents of concerted indiscipline which occurred in 1993 and 1994 required the presence of officers from Thames Valley Police to restore order. As a result of these incidents, the then Chief Inspector of Prisons, Judge Stephen Tumim, was invited by the former Home Secretary to inspect Campsfield House. His report, which was published on 21 April 1995, included a number of recommendations which were implemented at Campsfield House.
The remaining disturbances did not necessitate a large scale police presence and were successfully resolved by the centre contractors, Group 4 Total Security Limited.
§ Mr. CorbynTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the detention costs per head of each immigration detention centre for each of the last three years; and what was the average cost of (i) prison and (ii) police station detention per head for the same period.[33750]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienThe information requested is in the table. Costs are per person per week, and include headquarters overheads. Costs for the 1997–98 financial year are based on estimated outturns.
343W
£ 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 Harmondsworth 511 532 532 Campsfield House 490 504 735 Meadvale Buildings (closed May 1997) 580 532 546 Tinsley House (opened May 1996) — 658 546 Prisons (average cost per prisoner place) 464 476 1— Police stations 2,086 2,849 2,800 1Not yet available. The costs for Meadvale Buildings (a temporary facility near Gatwick Airport) in 1995/96 and Tinsley House in 1996/97 reflect the start-up costs and phased build-up of these centres.
The sharp rise in unit costs at Campsfield House in 1997/98 is a result of reduced capacity, to about half, and increased security costs resulting from the disturbances there in August 1997. Once the centre is operating at full capacity, unit costs there will fall in line with previous years.
The figure for detention in police cells is a weighted average across all forces. Detention of people under Immigration Act powers in police cells is limited to a maximum of five days, or seven if removal directions have been given.
§ Mr. CorbynTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date the review of asylum and immigration detention was announced; from whom submissions were sought; if he will list the organisations and individuals that have responded; and when he plans to make a statement on future policy. [33841]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienThe review of detention was commissioned in May 1997. At the beginning of September, I wrote to 12 non-governmental organisations inviting their comments on the major policy areas covered by the review. Submissions were received from the following groups:
- United Nations High Commission for Refugees
- Amnesty International
- Immigration Advisory Service
- The Law Society
- The Refugee Council
- Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants
- Churches Commission for Racial Justice
- Refugee Legal Centre
- Charter 87
- Immigration Law Practitioners Association
- The Medical Foundation
- Justice.
A number of other bodies put forward submissions on this issue, both before and during the review.
The findings of the review are currently being considered and I expect to announce the results in due course.