To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were being held in immigration removal centres on the latest date for which figures are available. (322955)

As at 31 December 2009, 2,595 people were held in UK Border Agency immigration detention, none of whom were children.

Published national statistics on the number of people detained solely under Immigration Act powers are published quarterly and are available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office website.