Immigration: Detention of Pregnant Women

Lord Tebbit Excerpts

Wednesday 25th May 2016 Lords Chamber

[Lord Keen of Elie]

Clearly we liaise very regularly with those contracted to provide facilities at Yarl’s Wood. Over and above that, Stephen Shaw will be commissioned to do a short review in 2017 on the implementation of these proposals.

[Lord Tebbit (Con)]

Is my noble friend aware that I have taken some interest in this matter, which included writing to the legal advisers who deal with these sorts of cases? So far as I could discover, there has never been more than a very small number—single figures—of pregnant women who have been detained who are not free, should they so wish, to return to other jurisdictions. It is merely that some of them are not allowed to enter this jurisdiction. They are perfectly free to leave if they wish to do so.

[Lord Keen of Elie]

I would observe that detention and removal are essential parts of any effective immigration control.