asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they plan to provide separate facilities for detained men and women in the holding room of short-term holding facilities in terminal 3 of Heathrow Airport. [HL3369]

We are currently in the process of looking at the feasibility of creating separate short-term holding facilities at terminal 3 for women as recommended in the recent Independent Monitoring Board report.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What arrangements they have made to ensure that detainees in the short-term holding facilities at Heathrow Airport are able to make the free telephone call to which they are entitled. [HL3370]

There is no national standard or policy regarding the use of telephones by detainees which would cover the short-term holding facilities at Heathrow Airport.

However, the IS91R (notice of reasons for detention) form which is issued to a detainee states:

“You may request to have a person known to you or who is likely to take an interest in your welfare informed at public expense as soon as practicable of your whereabouts”.

Detainees are given access to telephone calls either via their own mobile phone (except for those with cameras, recording or internet facility), or via a payphone. Alternatively, if they are not able to use these, access to a free telephone call is provided.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many detainees in the past six months waited more than eight hours for transportation from the short-term holding facilities at Heathrow Airport to Yarl's Wood immigration removal centre. [HL3371]

The information requested is not readily available and provision of a reply would be at disproportionate cost.