In September 2017, the Committee held an evidence session inquiring into the running of Brook House Immigration Removal Centre.
The BBC Panorama investigation highlighted serious issues at Brook House, including:
Endemic drug-taking (both Spice and cannabis)
Under-staffing
Allegations of assault, racial abuse and mocking of detainees by staff employed by private operators
Cases of self-harm and attempted suicide amongst detainees
Failure to report incidents of C&R (control and restraint) or refusal to eat
As these issues appear to affect the immigration detention estate more widely, the Committee have decided to broaden the inquiry to assess the extent to which they are systemic and the steps that could be taken to address them.
Witnesses Stephen Shaw CBE, author of the follow-up report to the Home Office on the assessment of government progress on the welfare in detention of vulnerable persons
Witnesses Peter Clarke CVO OBE QPM, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, Hindpal Singh Bhui, Inspection Team Leader (Immigration), HMI PrisonsRt Hon Caroline Nokes MP, Minister for Immigration, Home Office, Hugh Ind, Director General of Immigration Enforcement, Home Office, Sir Philip Rutnam, Permanent Secretary, Home Office
Witnesses Janahan, a former detainee in Harmondsworth and Morton Hall who now has refugee status, Voke, a former Yarl’s Wood detainee who is currently seeking asylum, and Afiya, a former Yarl’s Wood detainee who is currently seeking asylum, Kris Harris, Policy & Research Worker, Medical Justice, Gemma Lousley, Policy and Research Coordinator, Women for Refugee Women, Tom Nunn, Legal Manager, Bail for Immigration Detainees (BID), Serco Group: Rupert Soames, CEO, and Julia Rogers, MD Justice and Immigration, Prison Service: Phil Wragg, HMPPS Prisons Group Director for Kent, Essex, IRCs and FNPs, Karen Head, Morton Hall Centre Manager