Detention Centres (Hansard, 24 May 2004)

§ Alistair Burt
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 30 April 2004,Official Repiort, columns 63–64WS, on Yarl's Wood Immigration Removal Centre, if he will ensure that the results of the investigation recommended by Mr. Shaw into two further allegations of assault are made public. [173543]
1411W

§ Mr. Browne
Stephen Shaw recommended that Global Solutions Ltd. (GSL) should investigate the allegations referred to and they will. GSL will report the outcome to the Immigration and Nationality Directorate and, for the sake of completeness, Stephen Shaw will be asked to review the investigation. I can confirm that the outcome will be made public.

§ Alistair Burt
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many complaints were made in(a) 2003 and (b) 2004 to date by those detained at Yarl's Wood about the escort service taking them to and from Yarl's Wood; how many are under investigation; and if he will make a statement. [173545]

§ Mr. Browne
The Monitor responsible for overseeing the contract which covers in-country escorting and holding rooms at ports received three complaints in 2003 and one so far in 2004 to date, from persons detained in Yarl's Wood. All complaints are subject to an investigation by the Monitor, none are currently under investigation.
In the same period, there were no complaints regarding the contractors responsible for escorting persons on scheduled flights overseas, from persons detained at Yarl's Wood.

§ Alistair Burt
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many complaints about the activities of those escorting detainees to and from detention centres and detention and removal centres he has received; how many are being investigated; and if he will make a statement. [173547]

§ Mr. Browne
Since January 2003, there have been over 100,000 escorted movements. In this period there have been 78 complaints to the Monitor from detainees regarding the in-country escorting contract, which is responsible for movements of detainees from any location in the UK and supervision of detainees in the holding rooms at ports. All complaints are subject to investigation by the Monitor, at present 12 complaints are under investigation.
In the same period there have been 22 complaints against the overseas escorting contractor, which has responsibility for escorting people on scheduled flights to their removal destinations.