§ Mr. CorbettTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what powers he has to detain all asylum seekers. [158336]
§ Mrs. Roche[holding answer 23 April 2001]: The powers to detain individuals are set out in paragraph 16 of schedule 2, and in paragraph 2 of schedule 3 to the Immigration Act 1971. These need to be exercised consistently with article 5 of the European convention on human rights, and with detention policy. There is no blanket power to detain all asylum seekers and the 284W exercise of such a blanket power would almost certainly raise issues under the European convention on human rights.