Border and immigration
agency response to Robert Whalley's investigation into the
disturbances at Harmondsworth and Campsfield House immigration
removal centres
HOME OFFICE News
Release (STAT012/2007) issued by The Government News Network on 25
July 2007
Responding to
Robert Whalley's investigation into the disturbances at
Harmondsworth and Campsfield House Immigration Removal Centres,
Border and Immigration Agency Chief Executive Lin Homer said:
"Detention is an essential element in the enforcement of
immigration
control. It is because we have become increasingly
effective at
removing those with no right to live in the UK
that we are meeting increased resistance across the detention estate.
"Work is already underway to expand and strengthen our
removal centres -with a significant rebuild programme at
Harmondsworth and the construction of Brook House near Gatwick underway.
"The private contractors who run the removal centres are
taking very seriously the conclusions reached in this report and
they are actively reviewing their procedures and operating arrangements.
"We have accepted the recommendations in this report in
their entirety and indeed have implemented the necessary
improvements in a number of areas. We will be carefully planning
the implementation of the remainder over the next few weeks.
"It is vital that our immigration removal centres are well
run in order to facilitate the removal process and to keep people safe."