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| Prisons and immigration inspectors demand action on delayed deportations | Prisons and immigration inspectors demand action on delayed deportations |
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| More than 40 people facing deportation have been held for longer than two years in prisons and immigration removal centres at a cost to the taxpayer of nearly £40,000 each, official inspectors have revealed. | More than 40 people facing deportation have been held for longer than two years in prisons and immigration removal centres at a cost to the taxpayer of nearly £40,000 each, official inspectors have revealed. |
| The first joint report by the chief inspectors of prisons and immigration recommends that an independent panel should be set up to review the cases of all individuals who have been held for lengthy periods in detention pending their removal. | The first joint report by the chief inspectors of prisons and immigration recommends that an independent panel should be set up to review the cases of all individuals who have been held for lengthy periods in detention pending their removal. |
| It says that 3,500 people were being held in immigration detention on any given day during the first three months of this year. While the courts say it is lawful to hold them while there is a realistic prospect of them being sent home, the inspectors say there is no statutory time limit on how long they can be detained. | It says that 3,500 people were being held in immigration detention on any given day during the first three months of this year. While the courts say it is lawful to hold them while there is a realistic prospect of them being sent home, the inspectors say there is no statutory time limit on how long they can be detained. |
| The report follows the disclosure earlier this week that a Somali foreign national prisoner had been held at Lincoln prison for nine years after the date his original sentence had ended. | The report follows the disclosure earlier this week that a Somali foreign national prisoner had been held at Lincoln prison for nine years after the date his original sentence had ended. |
| Nick Hardwick, the chief inspector of prisons, said he had "simply been forgotten". The UK Border Agency (UKBA) said that the man, a convicted rapist, had failed to comply with his bail conditions when released and that he remained "extremely dangerous". | Nick Hardwick, the chief inspector of prisons, said he had "simply been forgotten". The UK Border Agency (UKBA) said that the man, a convicted rapist, had failed to comply with his bail conditions when released and that he remained "extremely dangerous". |
| The report by Hardwick and John Vine, the chief inspector of immigration, is based on interviews with 81 immigration detainees, most of them former prisoners. It found that the original decision to detain them was defensible, but there had subsequently been insufficient progress in a quarter of the cases. | The report by Hardwick and John Vine, the chief inspector of immigration, is based on interviews with 81 immigration detainees, most of them former prisoners. It found that the original decision to detain them was defensible, but there had subsequently been insufficient progress in a quarter of the cases. |
| "The most prominent themes to emerge from the interviews were physical and mental health problems, lack of contact with families, and the stress of long-term detention in the face of difficulties of accessing good quality legal services," the report says. It adds that many had not applied for bail to an immigration judge. | "The most prominent themes to emerge from the interviews were physical and mental health problems, lack of contact with families, and the stress of long-term detention in the face of difficulties of accessing good quality legal services," the report says. It adds that many had not applied for bail to an immigration judge. |
| The inspectors raise concerns that, while the decision to continue to detain former foreign national prisoners was made at a lower management level, decisions to release them had to be authorised by the UKBA board. | The inspectors raise concerns that, while the decision to continue to detain former foreign national prisoners was made at a lower management level, decisions to release them had to be authorised by the UKBA board. |
| They say they were disturbed to find there has been a failure to consider evidence of post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health issues in case reviews. The inspectors say this is significant given the recent high court rulings against the immigration authorities which established that four mentally ill people had been unlawfully detained and subject to degrading and inhumane treatment. | They say they were disturbed to find there has been a failure to consider evidence of post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health issues in case reviews. The inspectors say this is significant given the recent high court rulings against the immigration authorities which established that four mentally ill people had been unlawfully detained and subject to degrading and inhumane treatment. |
| The report says there is little evidence that the safeguards for those who have experienced torture are effective. In one case, a torture survivor was detained without any exceptional circumstances being clear and, in another, a victim of trafficking was held. | The report says there is little evidence that the safeguards for those who have experienced torture are effective. In one case, a torture survivor was detained without any exceptional circumstances being clear and, in another, a victim of trafficking was held. |
| "An independent panel should be established to review the cases of all individuals who are held for lengthy periods. Where the panel recommends release, UKBA would be required to review the case and publish its response," Hardwick and Vine recommend. | "An independent panel should be established to review the cases of all individuals who are held for lengthy periods. Where the panel recommends release, UKBA would be required to review the case and publish its response," Hardwick and Vine recommend. |
| A UKBA spokesperson said: "Foreign nationals with no right to be in the UK should be removed from the country at the earliest opportunity and detention can play a vital role in that process. It is not in the public's interest to release individuals who are assessed to be dangerous or liable to abscond prior to their removal from the UK. | A UKBA spokesperson said: "Foreign nationals with no right to be in the UK should be removed from the country at the earliest opportunity and detention can play a vital role in that process. It is not in the public's interest to release individuals who are assessed to be dangerous or liable to abscond prior to their removal from the UK. |
| "We are pleased that this report notes the progress which has been made. Prior to its publication, we had already identified several of the issues raised and begun to address them. We are now considering the report's outstanding recommendations and will make further improvements." | "We are pleased that this report notes the progress which has been made. Prior to its publication, we had already identified several of the issues raised and begun to address them. We are now considering the report's outstanding recommendations and will make further improvements." |
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