HC Deb 14 May 1999 vol 331 cc229-30W
Mr. Cox

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) men and (b) women were held in detention centres for immigration offences on 30 April. [83589]

Mr. Mike O'Brien

There were 418 males and 40 females detained solely under Immigration Act powers in immigration detention centres in the United Kingdom on 30 April 1999. These figures exclude persons detained in Prison Service establishments and, other than at Dover, in police cells.

Angela Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has reached a decision on the possible use of HMP Aldington and HMYOI Hatfield as immigration detention centres; and if he will make a statement. [84280]

Mr. George Howarth

Following a review of the projected future requirements of both the Prison Service and the Immigration Service, it has been agreed that Her Majesty's Prison Aldington should be closed by the end of August 1999 and the site handed over to the Immigration Service to pursue its development as an immigration

Average staffing levels—UK Passport Agency
Total London Liverpool Peterborough Newport Glasgow Belfast HQ
1998–99
Senior Civil Servant 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
Grade 6 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
Grade 7 10 1 1 1 1 1 0 5
Senior Executive Officer 18 2 1 1 1 1 1 11
Higher Executive Officer 63 6 9 7 7 7 3 24
Executive Officer 185 33 37 31 27 34 12 11
Administrative Officer 755 120 158 169 119 120 59 10
R Examining 116 0 29 33 30 11 13 0
Administrative Assistant 541 34 112 159 87 120 24 5
Personal Secretary 7 0 1 1 1 1 0 3
Typing Manager 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 1
Typist 10 2 1 2 1 1 2 1
Support Grade Band 1 12 6 1 1 1 2 0 1
Support Grade Band 2 54 15 14 6 4 12 3 0
Total 1,778 220 365 411 279 310 117 76

Total London Liverpool Peterborough Newport Glasgow Belfast HQ
1997–98
Senior Civil Servant 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
Grade 6 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
Grade 7 12 1 1 1 1 0 7
Senior Executive Officer 17 2 1 1 1 1 10
Higher Executive Officer 58 5 6 6 7 7 3 24
Executive Officer 189 27 41 30 38 31 12 10
Administrative Officer 678 108 145 147 127 101 39 11
R Examining 71 0 41 28 0 2 0 0
Administrative Assistant 545 21 145 116 142 77 41 3

detention centre. This will provide an opportunity to build a centre designed for the needs of immigration detainees as part of the Government's White Paper commitment to reducing the use of Prison Service accommodation. It is planned to re-deploy the staff of the prison elsewhere within the Service and no compulsory redundancies of mobile grades are envisaged as a result of this closure. We will also make every effort to avoid any redundancies for non-mobile grades. The Unions will be closely involved in those arrangements.

The future of Her Majesty's Young Offender Institution Hatfield is still being considered, but I expect to be in a position to announce a decision shortly.