Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many members of the Independent Monitoring Board for Campsfield House Immigration Removal Centre have been appointed; and what the names of those members are.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
Campsfield Immigration Removal Centre (IRC) opened on 1 December 2025 following completion of Phase 1 construction. As of 8 December there are currently 9 individuals detained at the IRC. Further information regarding Campsfield IRC can be found in the factsheet: Campsfield immigration removal centre: factsheet - GOV.UK
As with all IRCs, Campsfield IRC is operated in line with Detention Centre Rules 2001, published operating standards for IRCs and Detention Services Orders; a framework which ensures the safety and security of those detained in our care.
Independent scrutiny is a vital part of assurance that our detention facilities are safe, secure, and humane. Independent Monitoring Boards (IMB) are required to monitor IRCs as the appointed visiting committee as set out in the Detention Centre Rules 2001 and the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. There are currently four members of the IMB for Campsfield IRC.
IMB chairs and individual member details are not publicised by us or the IMB as the chairs are volunteers. The only names in the public domain are the members of the National Board - About us - Independent Monitoring Boards.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people were detained at Campsfield House Immigration Removal Centre on 5 December 2025 by reason for detention.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
Campsfield Immigration Removal Centre (IRC) opened on 1 December 2025 following completion of Phase 1 construction. As of 8 December there are currently 9 individuals detained at the IRC. Further information regarding Campsfield IRC can be found in the factsheet: Campsfield immigration removal centre: factsheet - GOV.UK
As with all IRCs, Campsfield IRC is operated in line with Detention Centre Rules 2001, published operating standards for IRCs and Detention Services Orders; a framework which ensures the safety and security of those detained in our care.
Independent scrutiny is a vital part of assurance that our detention facilities are safe, secure, and humane. Independent Monitoring Boards (IMB) are required to monitor IRCs as the appointed visiting committee as set out in the Detention Centre Rules 2001 and the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. There are currently four members of the IMB for Campsfield IRC.
IMB chairs and individual member details are not publicised by us or the IMB as the chairs are volunteers. The only names in the public domain are the members of the National Board - About us - Independent Monitoring Boards.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to answer Questions (a) 97729 and (b) 97730, tabled by the hon. Member for Bicester and Woodstock on 5 December 2025.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Honourable Member will receive a response shortly.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the proposed expansion of the Campsfield Immigration Removal Centre (Phase 2), whether a formal decision has been taken to rely on the Crown Development route under sections 293D to 293E of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office has taken the decision to use the Crown Development route to planning for Phase 2 of the Campsfield Immigration Removal Centre development.
Crown development applications require extensive consultation of the local planning authority, and planning consent will be obtained before we proceed with phase 2 of the development.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the Alternative to Detention schemes piloted under the Home Office’s Community Engagement Pilot series.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
Following analysis of the pilots’ published evaluations, the Department did not see sufficient evidence to progress these. We will keep under review the feasibility of alternatives to detention, taking account of effectiveness and cost efficiency, as part of our plans to transform the asylum and returns system.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to consult Parliament on changes to Immigration removal centres, announced on 11 June 2025.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
No changes to the immigration removal estate have been announced since plans to open Campsfield House and Haslar Immigration Removal Centres were announced in 2022.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to answer Question 59951 on British National (Overseas): Visas, tabled on 12 June 2025.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The response to PQ 59951 was answered on 23 June 2025.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many attempted applications have been made for the British National (Overseas) visa pathway by people born before 1997 and who have at least one parent with BNO status since 2021.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The British National (Overseas) (BN(O)) route reflects the historic and moral commitment to those people of Hong Kong who chose to retain their ties to the UK by taking up BN(O) status. It has enabled thousands of eligible Hong Kongers and their family members to come to the UK to live, study and work on a pathway to citizenship. The Home Office does not hold data on the number of applications to the BN(O) route from individuals born before 1997 who have at least one parent holding BN(O) status, as this specific information is not collected or recorded on Home Office systems.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether pro-democracy Hong Kong activists are able to receive support from (a) police forces and (b) other agencies for allegations of intimidation by Beijing-linked groups.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The safety and security of Hong Kongers in the UK is of the upmost importance. The UK will always stand up for the rights of the people of Hong Kong.
China’s imposition of the National Security Law on Hong Kong has significantly eroded the rights and freedoms of Hong Kongers. The Government has called on Beijing to repeal the National Security Law, including its extraterritorial reach.
We will not tolerate any attempts by China to intimidate and silence individuals in the UK and overseas. The UK will always defend the universal right to freedom of expression and stand up for those who are targeted.
The Hong Kong National Security Police have also issued a total of 19 arrest warrants for pro-democracy activists living overseas, with financial rewards of HK$1 million each for information leading to their arrest. All face charges of secession and foreign collusion under the 2020 National Security Law. A number of these individuals are residents in the UK.
However, It is our long-standing policy not to provide detailed information on security and intelligence matters and it would not be appropriate to comment on any specific support the police provide in individual cases. Where we identify such threats, we are front footed in deploying protective measures as appropriate.
The Government has developed a range of support and security assistance mechanisms to protect individuals and communities that are at risk of transnational repression. Guidance can be found on GOV.UK providing those who believe themselves to be at-risk of TNR with practical advice for their safety both physically and online.
Any attempt by any foreign power to intimidate, harass or harm individuals or communities in the UK will not be tolerated.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department holds information on the number of alleged bounties placed on pro-democracy Hong Kongers living in the UK by Beijing-linked groups.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The safety and security of Hong Kongers in the UK is of the upmost importance. The UK will always stand up for the rights of the people of Hong Kong.
China’s imposition of the National Security Law on Hong Kong has significantly eroded the rights and freedoms of Hong Kongers. The Government has called on Beijing to repeal the National Security Law, including its extraterritorial reach.
We will not tolerate any attempts by China to intimidate and silence individuals in the UK and overseas. The UK will always defend the universal right to freedom of expression and stand up for those who are targeted.
The Hong Kong National Security Police have also issued a total of 19 arrest warrants for pro-democracy activists living overseas, with financial rewards of HK$1 million each for information leading to their arrest. All face charges of secession and foreign collusion under the 2020 National Security Law. A number of these individuals are residents in the UK.
However, It is our long-standing policy not to provide detailed information on security and intelligence matters and it would not be appropriate to comment on any specific support the police provide in individual cases. Where we identify such threats, we are front footed in deploying protective measures as appropriate.
The Government has developed a range of support and security assistance mechanisms to protect individuals and communities that are at risk of transnational repression. Guidance can be found on GOV.UK providing those who believe themselves to be at-risk of TNR with practical advice for their safety both physically and online.
Any attempt by any foreign power to intimidate, harass or harm individuals or communities in the UK will not be tolerated.