HL Deb 16 January 2002 vol 630 cc154-5WA
Baroness Goudie

asked Her Majesty's Government:

When they will announce their plans for the detention of asylum seekers in prisons. [HL2309]

Lord Rooker

By the end of January immigration detainees held in local prisons will, if their detention is to continue, be transferred to immigration removal centres. This has been made possible by the opening of three new removal centres at Harmondsworth, near Heathrow, Dungavel in Lanarkshire, and at Yarlswood in Bedfordshire.

Additionally, immigration detainees are held in two dedicated prison establishments: a unit in Her Majesty's Prison Lindholme, near Doncaster; and Her Majesty's Prison Haslar. My right honourable friend the Home Secretary is taking steps to establish these as immigration removal centres under the control of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate of the Home Office as from February. Detainees in these establishments will be subject to Detention Centre Rules, rather than the Prison Rules as at present. It may take some time before the facilities in the new centres match those of other removal centres, but that is our intention.

Asylum seekers are also detained in two wings of Her Majesty's Prison Rochester. These detainees will be transferred to other immigration removal centres by the end of January. A new removal centre will be established at Her Majesty's Prison Dover in the spring.

It will always remain necessary to hold small numbers of immigration detainees including asylum seekers in prisons for reasons of security, or who are awaiting deportation on conclusion of a prison sentence. Any asylum seeker who is held on suspicion of having committed a criminal offence, or is serving a custodial sentence will also be held in prison.