HC Deb 17 November 2003 vol 413 cc687-9W
Mr. Peter Duncan

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the annual running cost of Dungavel Immigration Removal Centre was in the most recent year for which figures are available. [131553]

Beverley Hughes

The most recent year in which there are figures available for the annual running cost of Dungavel Immigration Removal Centre is 2002–03. The annual running cost for this year was £4,778,287.

Mr. Peter Duncan

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to visit Dungavel. [131554]

Beverley Hughes

As Minister for Immigration I visited Dungavel Immigration Removal Centre in September last year. I currently have no plans to make a return visit.

Mr. Peter Duncan

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what procedures are in place to maintain teaching standards at Dungavel in circumstances where there has been a large admission of children. [131555]

Beverley Hughes

There is limited family accommodation at Dungavel Removal Centre and the number of families at the centre fluctuates from day-to-day. For example, during September there were, on any one day, as few as two school age children at Dungavel and never more than 15. The nature of immigration detention is such that there is never a large admission of children as might be the case in local schools and special arrangements do not therefore need to be made for such an eventuality.

Simon Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost per week is of detaining(a) a single adult asylum seeker in Dungavel, (b) a child of an asylum seeker in Dungavel, (c) a single asylum seeker in Tinsley House and (d) a child of an asylum seeker in Tinsley House. [131654]

Beverley Hughes

The average cost per place per week for detaining a person is £655 for Dungavel and £762 for Tinsley House for 2003/04.

These figures are an average cost per head. It would incur disproportionate cost to break the figures down for adults and children.

Mr. Peter Duncan

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on arrangements for the welfare of children being kept at Dungavel Immigration Removal Centre. [131557]

Beverley Hughes

Families with children who are detained at Dungavel Removal Centre are accommodated in a separate family unit within the centre. Each family room has en-suite facilities. There is a separate family canteen that provides three meals a day as well as a milk kitchen with facilities for younger children. There is a cr1/2che for babies and younger children. There is education provision for all school-aged children. The curriculum includes maths, English, art and history. Science is also included and outside contacts have been set up with various agencies to facilitate the science programme. Children also have access to a library, televisions and videos and a variety of games. There is a multi-faith room at Dungavel which children are able to access with their parents.

Children have access to the open air throughout the day. There is an outdoor play facility for the younger children and separate gym time is made available for children each day.

There are health care facilities for both children and adults, with 24 hours, seven days a week on site nursing care and a GP available for surgery throughout the week.