Asylum riot centre 'improving'

Lawyers have received complaints of abuse at Harmondsworth

An immigration removal centre closed after a serious riot remains difficult to manage despite improvements, according to the prisons watchdog.

An inspection of the Harmondsworth centre, near Heathrow airport, found it had improved but concerns remained.

Harmondsworth holds up to 500 men at a time, most of whom are failed asylum seekers awaiting deportation.

Chief Inspector of Prisons Anne Owers heavily criticised the centre after a 2002 inspection.

Ms Owers' team made an unannounced inspection of Harmondsworth in February this year, four months after it was re-opened.

The immigration service closed the centre in July 2004 after serious disturbances, sparked by the apparent suicide of one of the detainees.

In the report, Ms Owers' team found Harmondsworth was in general a "safer environment" because of improvements in how managers were running the centre.

But the reception of detainees still concerned the inspectors, who found people could be left locked inside vans outside the centre for hours at a time.

Ms Owers added: "It was of particular concern that, despite our recommendations, there was still not clear protocol to ensure that detainees subject to failed removals who returned to the centre were medically examined and any injuries recorded and passed on to the relevant authorities to be monitored and, if necessary acted on.

"The Immigration and Nationality Directorate should urgently put in place such a system".

Throughout the asylum system, a number of detainees have complained of injuries suffered during the removals process, although immigration staff are authorised to use reasonable force.

People being held there are really frustrated - they don't know why they are there and what the outcome is going to be Former Harmondsworth detainee Harmondsworth: A life inside

Ms Owers' 2002 inspection raised concerns over the treatment of detainees who were facing removal, while a recent report by a medical charity suggested excessive force may be being used.

While Harmondsworth had improved some elements of its suicide monitoring, there were inadequate procedures for non-English speakers deemed to be at risk.

Inspectors however noted relations between staff and detainees had improved since the first highly critical inspection of the centre, not least because staff had provided more recreation for those being held.

Ms Owers said: "Overall, this report records progress in what has been a troubled removal centre.

"But Harmondsworth will continue to be a difficult environment to manage safely, holding a large and transient population, some with little to lose or much to fear."

Short-term centres

A separate report into three short-term port holding centres found they needed better management and oversight of conditions.

Ms Owers said facilities at Manchester Airport, Dover port and Harwich Airport did not offer adequate access to healthcare, exercise facilities or have measures in place for potentially suicidal detainees.

Immigration minister Tony McNulty said he would study Ms Owers' recommendations in detail.

"Detention is an essential part of an effective immigration system, but we recognise that improvements need to be made," said Mr McNulty.

He said: "We are fully committed to ensuring that robust management and independent oversight is in place at all our short-term holding facilities.

"We have already taken steps to put independent checks on a statutory basis in the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Bill currently going through Parliament."