Prison
Cat IRC
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Scotland and Northern Ireland Short-Term Holding Facilities (STHF)
IMB Annual Report 2024 · Published 18 December 2024
This report highlights significant shortcomings in the Short-term Holding Facilities (STHFs) in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Key issues include a failure to separate men and women at Larne House, inadequate accommodation, and inconsistent healthcare provision often leading to the removal of essential medication. Detainees frequently face unnecessarily long stays due to systemic inefficiencies, coupled with a lack of transparency and accessibility challenges across the estate.
Positive Findings
The Board observed that people in detention were treated in a respectful and caring manner by staff, who demonstrated kindness and courtesy. Facilities were generally clean, clothing was adequate, and suitable food provisions, including for dietary needs, were available. Improvements in accessibility, such as an accessible toilet at Glasgow Airport, were noted. Distraction materials like televisions, books, and newspapers were provided, and healthcare at Larne House received positive feedback.
Key Concerns
Safety
Repeated
Men and women remained detained together at Larne House throughout the year, despite previous recommendations for separate accommodation and acceptance by the Home Office, demonstrating failings in the Home Office’s safety culture.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
Unsuitability of accommodation at airport holding rooms and reporting centre holding rooms, including lack of natural light, natural ventilation or open air; only one facility having showers; very limited privacy; unsatisfactory sleeping provision (plastic-covered mats on the floor).
Healthcare
Repeated
Healthcare provision varies based on location rather than clinical need, and people in detention still have their prescription medication removed at airport and reporting centre holding rooms, posing serious health risks.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Repeated
People are detained for longer than necessary, for example due to inefficiencies in organising asylum accommodation or effecting transfers.
Equality/Diversity
Repeated
Facilities are not fully accessible for wheelchair users, people with sensory impairments, or those with non-visible disabilities.
Other
The Home Office does not routinely and proactively publish performance metrics or the results of internal assurance and contract monitoring activities, reducing transparency and hindering improvement.
Safety
Late night moves involving families and children, particularly using taxis, present potential for medical emergencies during lengthy overnight journeys.
Safety
Unaccompanied children were detained in unsatisfactory conditions, and this was not reported to the IMB, demonstrating a lack of candour by the Home Office.
Safety
Record keeping is not consistent, with serious omissions in safety-critical sections of forms, such as indicators of vulnerability.
Other
Complex Home Office processes are not made clear in written communications (e.g., Form IS91R is complicated and not available in multiple languages), adding to detainee stress and anxiety.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
The Controlled Waiting Area at Prestwick Airport is used for detainees instead of the dedicated holding room, providing unacceptable conditions.
Board Commentary
Staffing
The Board noted that interactions between staff and detainees were courteous and fair, commending the kind and caring attitude demonstrated by frontline staff despite the demanding environment. A gender balance between staff on duty was mostly in place, and interpretation services were available. However, concerns were raised about staff not wearing name badges, gaps in training regarding the safe use of force on children, and the risk that body-worn video cameras are not worn by all staff.
Healthcare
Healthcare provision is inconsistent, varying by location rather than clinical need. While Larne House healthcare was complimented, other facilities offer only first aid, relying on ambulances for urgent needs. This is in contrast to other airports with paramedics. A significant concern is the continued removal of prescription medication from detainees at airport and reporting centre holding rooms, posing serious health risks. There is a lack of signposting to mental health support services, and communication between the Home Office and local healthcare services is absent.
Regime & Daily Life
Regime and daily life at STHFs are marked by several shortcomings, particularly in airport and reporting centre holding rooms. These facilities often lack natural light, ventilation, open-air access, showers, and adequate privacy. Sleeping provisions, typically plastic-covered mats on the floor, are deemed unsatisfactory for overnight stays. Hot meals are not consistently available, especially in Border Force-managed facilities. Detainees often experience prolonged waiting periods without clear communication about their case progression, and mobile phones with internet access are routinely removed.
Recommendations (16)
Other: 12
Home Office: 4
9 repeated
Recommendation 1
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
We reiterate our previous recommendation regarding the provision of prescription medication. We repeat our urge for the Minister to request that the Home Office carry out an urgent assessment of the risks to detained people as a result of the removal of their prescription medications and design a practical strategy for ensuring that detained people receive their medication. We repeat our request of an outcome that meets the health and wellbeing needs of every detained person.
Other
(minister)
Healthcare
Response
We understand work is ongoing to consider the issue.
Recommendation 2
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
We reiterate our recommendation that recommended upgrades following the Disability Access audit is implemented.
Other
(minister)
Equality
Response
We understand work is ongoing to consider the issue.
Recommendation 3
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
We reiterate our previous recommendation for a review of the appropriateness of stays in holding rooms of eight hours or longer with unacceptable facilities.
Other
(minister)
Regime
Response
We understand work is continually ongoing to consider the facilities.
Recommendation 4
Government policy should require a continuous care improvement programme is in place for each short-term holding facility. Such programmes should be collaboratively developed, well-documented, appropriately resourced, and transparently reported upon, adopting a quality improvement framework and integrating best practice from other settings.
Other
(minister)
Other
Recommendation 5
Instruct officials to undertake assurance activity, informed by expert input, on the following areas where we cannot reach conclusions based on our observations: o Ensuring that vulnerable adults are always identified properly and that their care, and that provided to children, is effective in safeguarding and improving physical and mental health and wellbeing. o Ensuring that repairs to accommodation take no longer than necessary and that there exists a robust works programme to respond to our observations and those of HM Inspectorate of Prisons.
Other
(minister)
Safety
Recommendation 6
To ensure transparency and drive improvement, require routine proactive publication of performance metrics such as those provided to HM Inspectorate of Prisons in its January 2024 inspection and the results of internal assurance and contract monitoring activities undertaken by the Home Office.
Other
(minister)
Other
Recommendation 7
The Board is concerned about late night moves involving families and children with particular concerns where Taxis are being used. We are very concerned about the potential for a medical emergency arising during a lengthy overnight journey.
Other
(minister)
Safety
Recommendation 8
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
We reiterate our recommendation, which was accepted, for Border Force and Immigration Enforcement to implement standardisation of the use of translation devices across all facilities.
Home Office
Equality
Response
The principle is accepted of standardisation being worthwhile when it adds value or eliminates unwarranted variation.
Recommendation 9
The detention estate is long overdue redecoration and upgrading in order to improve the quality of the environment. This would provide the opportunity to ensure that the facilities become fit for purpose.
Home Office
Estate
Recommendation 10
The use of the Controlled Waiting Area at Prestwick Airport is unacceptable when there is an alternative room that could be brought into use. While it may require additional resourcing bringing this room back use would facilitate hot food to be served to detailed persons.
Home Office
Estate
Recommendation 11
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
We reiterate our previous recommendation that the provision of safe and private facilities for women within Larne House RSTHF remains outstanding. The Home Office previously committed to undertake work to ensure that women were accommodated separately from men. The Board recommends work is urgently completed with the outcome that the safety and dignity of women in detention can be assured.
Other
(other)
Safety
Response
Dates not given.
Recommendation 12
That a schedule of upgrading and improvements such as redecorating and refurnishing, the upgrading of ventilation and the addition of showering facilities, across the estate, is drawn up and implementation dates established.
Other
(other)
Estate
Recommendation 13
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
We repeat our previous recommendation that Prestwick STHF, which remains out of use, should be brought up to basic requirements.
Other
(other)
Estate
Response
This was, partially, accepted.
Recommendation 14
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Implemented the partially accepted recommendation that a new holding room be set up in Terminal 2 at Edinburgh Airport.
Other
(minister)
Estate
Response
This was previously partially accepted.
Recommendation 15
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Appraise ventilation and natural light arrangements at all facilities as a matter of urgency.
Home Office
Estate
Response
We understand work is continually ongoing to consider the facilities.
Recommendation 16
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Develop a new holding room at Terminal 2 at Edinburgh Airport.
Other
(other)
Estate
Response
This was previously partially accepted.