Increase in detainees' self-harm

Self-harm by detainees facing deportation at Dover's Immigration Removals Centre has doubled in 12 months, figures reveal.

There were 18 cases in the first three months of 2008, twice the number in the same period last year.

The National Coalition of Anti Deportation Campaigns used Freedom of Information laws to obtain the figures.

The Home Office says it takes incidents of self-harm seriously and the health of all detainees is monitored closely.

Other detention centres controlled by the newly-formed UK Border Agency report significantly fewer instances of self-harm among detainees.

Foreign prisoners

The Home Office-appointed Independent Monitoring Board says it is concerned that the use of the segregation unit for disruptive detainees at Dover - a former Victorian prison - has increased sharply, trebling in the last two years.

John Roper, Monitoring Board chairman, says that quicker removal is the answer.

Emma Gin, from the Anti-Deportation Coalition, believes the reason is because Dover's detainees are 85% foreign prisoners who have served their sentences and are awaiting decisions on deportation.

She said processes must be speeded up.

A Home Office statement said: "The UK Border Agency takes any incident of self-harm seriously and the health of all detainees is monitored closely.

"Health care professionals who work in the detention estate are required to report cases where it is considered that a person's health is being affected by continued detention.

"Staff at all immigration removal centres are trained to help identify and prevent suicide and self-harm."