18 Response Accepted in Part Self-assessed

Update DSO on food and fluid refusal management and reporting

Recommendation

The Home Office must, as a matter of urgency, update Detention Services Order 03/2017: Care and Management of Detained Individuals Refusing Food and/or Fluid, to ensure that it deals with: food and fluid refusal being clearly and directly linked to consideration of the Rule 35 process and whether a detained person is defined as an 'adult at risk'; the consideration by the healthcare provider at each immigration removal centre, upon an incidence of food and fluid refusal occurring, of assessments of mental capacity, of mental state, and under Rule 35, and the conduct of these where indicated, as well as ensuring compliance with Adults at Risk in Immigration Detention policy and making sure that decisions made in relation to these are recorded; the notification to the Home Office of the numbers of detained people refusing food and fluid, and the reasons for such refusal, on a monthly basis (in the same way that incidents of self-harm are notified); and the monitoring by the Home Office of the compliance by healthcare providers with Detention Services Order 03/2017 and the numbers of detained people refusing food and fluid, and the reasons for such refusal, in order to identify any patterns of concern and take appropriate action. The Home Office must ensure that mandatory training about the application of the updated detention services order takes place on a regular (at least annual) basis for all detention staff and healthcare staff, as well as those responsible for managing them. Attendance must be mandatory for all staff working in immigration removal centres and those responsible for managing them. The training must be subject to an assessment. In anticipation of the update to Detention Services Order 03/2017, the Home Office must issue an immediate instruction to communicate this clarification to those operating immigration detention centres.

Published Evidence Summary
The following publicly available evidence relates to this recommendation:
The Home Office published an updated Detention Services Order (DSO) on food and fluid refusal, which links food and fluid refusal to consideration of the Rule 35 process and the Adults at Risk policy (Official government response, 19 March 2024). This recommendation was marked as completed and closed as of October 2024 (Angela Eagle, Written PQ 23170, 15 January 2025).
How was this assessed?
Assessed by gemini-2.5-flash on 18 Mar 2026
Checked data held on this site (government responses, progress updates, independent evidence)
External sources searched: www.gov.uk, www.legislation.gov.uk, hansard.parliament.uk
Jurisdiction
England
Response
Accepted in Part
Accepted in Part Home Office
19 Mar 2024

An updated Detention Services Order on food and fluid refusal has been published, linking food and fluid refusal to consideration of the Rule 35 process and the Adults at Risk policy.

Read Full Response
Progress Timeline
Parliamentary Answer
14 Jan 2025

Angela Eagle, Written PQ 23170 (15 January 2025): 'Completed and closed as of October 2024.'

Published Evidence

Published assessments of implementation progress from inspectorates, select committees, official progress reports, and other sources. Check the source type badge to see whether each assessment is independent or government self-reported.

Reasonable Progress
03 Sep 2025
HM Inspectorate of Prisons Inspection Report

Complaints procedures functioning. Two new Diversity Coordinators appointed September 2024.

View detailed findings

Based on Independent Review of Progress visit in August 2025, following up 13 concerns from August 2024 inspection. Brook House run by Serco held 192 detainees at time of visit.

Report on an independent review of progress at Br… View Source
Insufficient Progress
19 Sep 2024
Brook House Inquiry Chair Other

Inquiry Chair Kate Eves described government response as "inadequate" and called for a "reset" with the new government. Warned abuse "becomes a question of when, not if" it happens again.

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In September 2024, Kate Eves told Channel 4 News she was "disappointed with what I see as an inadequate response by the former government to an important report." She noted the inquiry cost about £20 million over four years. Home Office lawyers had argued her "recommendations are not binding."

Channel 4 News interview, September 2024
Source
Report The Brook House Inquiry Report 19 Sep 2023
Responsible Bodies
Home Office Primary
Recommendation age 2.5 yrs
Last formal update 434 days ago