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Written Question
Medomsley Detention Centre
Wednesday 11th January 2023

Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of undertaking an inquiry into historic abuse at Medomsley Detention Centre.

Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)

The government has the deepest sympathy for the men who suffered sexual or physical abuse while detained at Medomsley Detention Centre.

A judicial review claim has been launched in regard to the government’s decision not to hold a public inquiry into Medomsley. It would be inappropriate to comment further while legal proceedings are ongoing.


Written Question
Hassockfield Immigration Removal Centre: Industrial Health and Safety
Monday 28th June 2021

Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment has been made of the health and safety conditions of the planned immigration removal centre in Medomsley, County Durham.

Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)

Protecting the safety, health and welfare of individuals in immigration detention is our top priority. The new IRC will be 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.

Safety has been in-built to the design in line with The Building Regulations 2010, including fire safety in line with current regulations.


Written Question
Hassockfield Immigration Removal Centre
Tuesday 18th May 2021

Asked by: Kate Osborne (Labour - Jarrow)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what consultations have been undertaken with men abused at Medomsley Detention Centre on her Department's proposal to re-open the site as Hassockfield immigration removal centre.

Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office has acquired the former Hassockfield Secure Training Centre in County Durham and will open it as an immigration removal centre for women by the autumn.

Discussions with Durham County Council have taken place and will continue throughout the development of plans for the site. Consultations with local councillors, other local stakeholders and interested non-governmental organisations including the Refugee Council, will take place over the coming months.

The former Medomsley Detention Centre was demolished and rebuilt in 1988.


Written Question
Hassockfield Immigration Removal Centre
Tuesday 18th May 2021

Asked by: Kate Osborne (Labour - Jarrow)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what consultations have been carried out with the local community on her Department's proposal to re-open the former Medomsley Detention Centre site as Hassockfield immigration removal centre.

Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office has acquired the former Hassockfield Secure Training Centre in County Durham and will open it as an immigration removal centre for women by the autumn.

Discussions with Durham County Council have taken place and will continue throughout the development of plans for the site. Consultations with local councillors, other local stakeholders and interested non-governmental organisations including the Refugee Council, will take place over the coming months.

The former Medomsley Detention Centre was demolished and rebuilt in 1988.


Written Question
Hassockfield Secure Training Centre
Thursday 25th March 2021

Asked by: Mary Kelly Foy (Labour - City of Durham)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions her Department has had with (a) the Refugee Council, (b) local refugee support groups and (c) advocacy organisations prior to the commencement of plans to re-open the former Hassockfield Detention Centre in Medomsley as an Immigration Detention or Removal Centre; and whether alternatives to the incarceration of women who seek refuge in the UK have been assessed.

Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office has acquired the former Hassockfield Secure Training Centre in County Durham and will open it as an immigration removal centre by the autumn.

Initial discussions with Durham County Council have taken place and will continue throughout the development of plans for the site. Consultations with local councillors, other local stakeholders and interested non-governmental organisations including the Refugee Council, will take place over the coming months.

The former Medomsley Detention Centre was demolished and rebuilt in 1988. Whilst I have every sympathy for victims of historic abuse at the former centre, officials do not have plans to undertake any consultation on the future immigration removal centre.

Now in its second year, the Action Access pilot has provided women who would otherwise be detained with a programme of support in the community, including case management support. We are working with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and they have appointed the National Centre for Social Research to independently evaluate this work, once the pilot concludes in March 2021. The evaluation is scheduled for publication in June 2021. We will use the evaluation to inform our future approach to case-management focused alternatives to detention.


Written Question
Hassockfield Secure Training Centre
Thursday 25th March 2021

Asked by: Mary Kelly Foy (Labour - City of Durham)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether, before the commencement of plans to redevelop the former Hassockfield Detention Centre in Medomsley as an immigration removal centre, the Government consulted with (a) victims of historic abuse (b) other inmates at the Hassockfield Detention Centre.

Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office has acquired the former Hassockfield Secure Training Centre in County Durham and will open it as an immigration removal centre by the autumn.

Initial discussions with Durham County Council have taken place and will continue throughout the development of plans for the site. Consultations with local councillors, other local stakeholders and interested non-governmental organisations including the Refugee Council, will take place over the coming months.

The former Medomsley Detention Centre was demolished and rebuilt in 1988. Whilst I have every sympathy for victims of historic abuse at the former centre, officials do not have plans to undertake any consultation on the future immigration removal centre.

Now in its second year, the Action Access pilot has provided women who would otherwise be detained with a programme of support in the community, including case management support. We are working with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and they have appointed the National Centre for Social Research to independently evaluate this work, once the pilot concludes in March 2021. The evaluation is scheduled for publication in June 2021. We will use the evaluation to inform our future approach to case-management focused alternatives to detention.


Written Question
Hassockfield Secure Training Centre
Thursday 25th March 2021

Asked by: Mary Kelly Foy (Labour - City of Durham)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions were held with (a) Durham County Council, (b) local councillors and (c) other local stakeholders before plans were progressed to redevelop the former Hassockfield Detention Centre in Medomsley as an immigration removal centre; and what plans there are for discussions with each of those bodies before its planned opening in autumn 2021.

Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office has acquired the former Hassockfield Secure Training Centre in County Durham and will open it as an immigration removal centre by the autumn.

Initial discussions with Durham County Council have taken place and will continue throughout the development of plans for the site. Consultations with local councillors, other local stakeholders and interested non-governmental organisations including the Refugee Council, will take place over the coming months.

The former Medomsley Detention Centre was demolished and rebuilt in 1988. Whilst I have every sympathy for victims of historic abuse at the former centre, officials do not have plans to undertake any consultation on the future immigration removal centre.

Now in its second year, the Action Access pilot has provided women who would otherwise be detained with a programme of support in the community, including case management support. We are working with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and they have appointed the National Centre for Social Research to independently evaluate this work, once the pilot concludes in March 2021. The evaluation is scheduled for publication in June 2021. We will use the evaluation to inform our future approach to case-management focused alternatives to detention.


Written Question
Hassockfield Secure Training Centre
Thursday 25th March 2021

Asked by: Mary Kelly Foy (Labour - City of Durham)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what public consultation has been undertaken prior to the commencement of plans to re-open the former Hassockfield Detention Centre in Medomsley as an Immigration Detention Centre; and what plans she has to hold a further public consultation before the planned opening of that centre in Autumn 2021.

Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office has acquired the former Hassockfield Secure Training Centre in County Durham and will open it as an immigration removal centre by the autumn.

Initial discussions with Durham County Council have taken place and will continue throughout the development of plans for the site. Consultations with local councillors, other local stakeholders and interested non-governmental organisations including the Refugee Council, will take place over the coming months.

The former Medomsley Detention Centre was demolished and rebuilt in 1988. Whilst I have every sympathy for victims of historic abuse at the former centre, officials do not have plans to undertake any consultation on the future immigration removal centre.

Now in its second year, the Action Access pilot has provided women who would otherwise be detained with a programme of support in the community, including case management support. We are working with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and they have appointed the National Centre for Social Research to independently evaluate this work, once the pilot concludes in March 2021. The evaluation is scheduled for publication in June 2021. We will use the evaluation to inform our future approach to case-management focused alternatives to detention.


Written Question
Hassockfield Secure Training Centre
Thursday 25th March 2021

Asked by: Mary Kelly Foy (Labour - City of Durham)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the (a) number, (b) security and (c) pay of new jobs which will be created by plans to re-open the former Hassockfield Detention Centre in Medomsley as an Immigration Detention or Removal Centre in Autumn 2021.

Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office has acquired the former Hassockfield Secure Training Centre in County Durham and will open it as an immigration removal centre by the autumn. The proposed site will provide modern, decent and secure accommodation for around 80 women. We expect approximately 200 permanent jobs to be created when the centre is fully operational.


Written Question
Medomsley Detention Centre
Monday 8th March 2021

Asked by: Baroness Hamwee (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have for (1) the future use, and (2) the occupancy, of the former Hassockfield Detention Centre in Medomsley; and when these plans will be taken forward.

Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)

The immigration removal estate is kept under ongoing review to ensure that the Home Office has sufficient capacity, in the right places and that it provides value for money.

The Home Office has acquired the former Hassockfield Secure Training Centre in County Durham and will open it as an immigration removal centre for women by the autumn. Initial discussions with the planning authority have taken place and work has commenced at the site. An Equality Impact Assessment will be completed as part of this programme of work.

In order to meet operational needs and demands we will continue to operate the immigration removal estate in a flexible manner.