asked Her Majesty’s Government:
What instructions are given to immigration officers, police and other persons in official capacities to ensure, following the forcible removal from their homes of families of failed asylum seekers, that the property is secured and that they are able to take with them to the place of detention items such as medicines, toiletries, baby food and feeding items, children’s personal belongings and mobile phones. [HL3018]
Chapter 58 of the Operational Enforcement Manual (OEM), which is publicly available on the IND website www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/lawandpolicy/policyinstructions/oem, instructs officers to allow the family sufficient time to dress, pack, use bathroom facilities and feed very young children.
On-site healthcare is available at every removal centre and it is a matter for the healthcare team to judge whether it is appropriate for detainees to keep medication in their possession. Detainees must be allowed to keep other items in their possession save where it is contrary to the interests of safety or security or is incompatible with the personal storage facilities provided. Detainees must also be allowed to retain mobile phones provided that they do not have photo or global positioning roaming satellite facilities. The centre also holds property on behalf of detainees and this is returned when they leave the centre.
Families with children are accommodated in family units. Parents with young children are supplied with essential items for their care, including toiletries, bottle-warming and sterilising equipment.
asked Her Majesty’s Government:
What instructions are given to immigration officers, police and other persons in official capacities to ensure, following the forcible removal from their homes of families of failed asylum seekers, that they are able to take all their belongings with them to the country to which they are being deported. [HL3019]
Chapter 41 of the Operational Enforcement Manual (OEM), which is publicly available on the IND website, www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/lawandpolicy/policyinstructions/oem, provides information on the retrieval of personal effects, including baggage allowances.
asked Her Majesty’s Government:
What instructions are given to immigration officers, police and other persons in official capacities to ensure, following the forcible removal from their homes of families of failed asylum seekers, that their friends, relatives and legal representatives in the United Kingdom have information at all times on where they are being held and how they can be contacted by letter and telephone. [HL3020]
When a family detention visit takes place, officers inform that family that they can contact legal representatives, friends or relatives once they are at the detention centre.
Detainees are advised of their right to legal representation, and how they can obtain such representation, within 24 hours of arrival at a removal centre. It is a matter for the detainee to contact his legal representative, relatives or friends about his whereabouts or any other matter. Where a detainee has no funds to allow him to correspond or phone his legal representative, family or friends, he will be given the funds to do so.