Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many immigration detainees have been moved from Larne House detention centre in Northern Ireland to immigration detention centres in (a) Scotland and (b) England since 23 March 2020; and what risk assessments have been undertaken in respect of those moves.

We take the welfare of the detainees in our care very seriously. The safety and health of those in residential short-term holding facilities and immigration removal centres (IRC) is of the utmost importance.

Management information indicates that since the 23 March 2020, three detainees have been transferred from Larne House to an IRC. All these moves were to Dungavel House IRC in Scotland.

The Home Office undertake careful risk assessments when considering detainee placement in the detention estate. This is done on a case by case basis to ensure placement in the most suitable IRC that can best accommodate the individual’s needs.