MINISTRY OF JUSTICE
News Release issued by The Government News Network on 4 July 2007
Today, the Prisons
Inspectorate publishes the first separate reports of the
experiences of immigration detainees under escort, while being
taken to Dungavel House in Scotland and Colnbrook Immigration
Removal Centre near London.
These reports, based on interviews with escorted detainees, did
not find evidence of poor treatment of detainees while on the
escort vans, and most detainees said that staff treated them well.
There were however some concerns
* Lengthy journeys and excessive movements for detainees at Dungavel
* Use of handcuffs without individual risk assessment
* Incomplete documentation, sometimes without noting risk factors
or special needs
* Lack of information to detainees about where they were going
Anne Owers, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons said:
"These are the first separate inspections under our new
statutory duty to inspect immigration escorts. This is a very
important area to monitor, and we will continue to carry out
regular, unannounced inspections to monitor the experience of
detainees and the conditions in which they are held. We look for
improvements in the areas of concern we have identified"
NOTES TO EDITORS
1. A full copy of the HMCIP report into Dungavel House and
Colnbrook IRCs is available from http://www.inspectorates.justice.gov.uk/hmiprisons/