Recommendation 8: Mandatory comprehensive Rule 34 and Rule 35 training
From The Brook House Inquiry Report, published 19 September 2023.
Recommendation
The Home Office (in collaboration with NHS England as required) must ensure that comprehensive training on Rule 34 and Rule 35 of the Detention Centre Rules 2001 is rolled out urgently across the immigration detention estate. Staff must be subject to refresher training, at least annually. Attendance must be mandatory for all staff working in immigration removal centres and those responsible for managing them, as well as GPs and relevant Home Office staff. Consideration must be given as to whether such training should be subject to an assessment.
In brief (written by this site)
The Inquiry recommended mandatory annual Rule 34 and Rule 35 training across the detention estate. In January 2025, Dame Angela Eagle, Minister of State at the Home Office, stated in a written parliamentary answer that the recommendation had been accepted or partially accepted and was "on track for closure by summer 2025" (Dame Angela Eagle response, Jan 2025; Dame Angela Eagle, Jan 2025). In September 2025, HM Inspectorate of Prisons found that despite training being delivered to medical professionals, the quality of most Rule 35(3) torture reports remained poor, although the quality of most Rule 35(1) reports was good (HM Inspectorate of Prisons, Sep 2025).
Sources
AI-generated summary of the record on this page, checked by a second model and automatic checks, 5 Oct 2026. The record below is the sources' own words.
About this summary
This recommendation applies across many organisations. The record reflects central policy activity; adoption in individual organisations may vary.
Government response
30 out of the 33 recommendations made by the Brook House Inquiry have been accepted or partially accepted.
How this response relates to the recommendation
Site note: The written answer gives this sentence once, for 30 of the 33 recommendations together: every recommendation except 7, 19 and 30, which it says were rejected. It does not say which of the 30 were accepted in full and which in part, so the site records "Accepted, fully or in part (not specified)". The same words are recorded on recommendations 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 31, 32 and 33. Recommendations 1, 2 and 3 are among the 30 but are not given this row, because the Minister's letter of 22 May 2025 states a position on each of them.
Earlier statement from Home Office (1)
6.4.3. Careful consideration has been given to training linked to Rule 34 and Rule 35 of the DC Rules 2001. NHS England is developing interim clinical guidance to support GPs undertaking Rule 35 assessments and reports. Once the Rule 34 and 35 and AaR policies have been reviewed, NHS England will commission training to further support clinicians’ understanding of their responsibilities under the revised rules. Information is also included within initial training courses (ITCs) to promote awareness amongst all new contracted service provider staff.
How this response relates to the recommendation
Site note: CP 1041 is organised by ten key issues, not by recommendation, and states no position on any individual recommendation. Its only general statement of acceptance is that "The government has carefully considered and accepts the broad thrust of the recommendations". The words "in principle" do not appear anywhere in the document.
Delivery
Home Office says in progress (15 January 2025)
the remaining 13 (recommendations 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 20, 21, 31, 32 and 33) on track for closure by summer 2025
Site note: One written answer of 15 January 2025 addresses all 33 recommendations in groups: it names each recommendation in one of four groups and says nothing further about any of them individually. It does not say which of the 30 it describes as "accepted or partially accepted" were accepted in full and which in part.
Site note: The source gives this passage once, for the 13 remaining accepted recommendations. The same words are recorded on recommendations 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 20, 21, 31, 32 and 33.
What other bodies have found
In their own words. These do not change the delivery statement above.
HM Inspectorate of Prisons (18 November 2024)
The waiting time for a Rule 35 appointment was just under two weeks, with two appointment slots a day available. PPG GPs were undergoing Rule 35 training as part of their induction.
Site note: HM Inspectorate of Prisons reports on the Rule 35 process at Brook House here; it does not name this recommendation, or any of the Inquiry's recommendations. The site places the passage against the recommendation it speaks to.
Published evidence
Published findings referenced by inspectorates, select committees, official progress reports, and other sources. Source type badge indicates whether the finding is independent or government self-reported. Each finding is this site's summary of what the source found, with a link to the source; this site does not add its own progress rating.
Summary by this site of the published finding
3.15 Despite the delivery of Rule 35 training to medical professionals, the quality of most Rule 35(3) reports on torture was still poor. Most lacked necessary detail, medical assessments were limited, and some did not contain an assessment of the impact of ongoing detention on the health of the detainee. Conversely, the quality of most Rule 35(1) reports we saw was good and contributed to better Home Office assessment of the risk of detention on detainees’ health.
View detailed findings
3.15 Despite the delivery of Rule 35 training to medical professionals, the quality of most Rule 35(3) reports on torture was still poor. Most lacked necessary detail, medical assessments were limited, and some did not contain an assessment of the impact of ongoing detention on the health of the detainee. Conversely, the quality of most Rule 35(1) reports we saw was good and contributed to better Home Office assessment of the risk of detention on detainees’ health.
Responsible bodies
Themes and tags
Who has spoken
- Home Office
Response, delivery statement - HM Inspectorate of Prisons
Finding