Dear Constituent,
Thank you for contacting me about immigration detention during the Coronavirus outbreak.
At the end of March, the High Court ruled that the Government's approach to detention and coronavirus was sensible and that the appropriate precautionary measures were in place. The public rightly expect law and order to be maintained during the outbreak and it is important to remember that those currently in detention are foreign national offenders. Ministers have assured me that the Home Office will only detain people where it is absolutely necessary on a case-by-case basis and that decisions are kept under constant review.
I understand that you may have concerns about the wellbeing of detainees and staff. The Home Office is following all the relevant guidance on coronavirus and has extensive plans in place, including measures such as protective isolation. Appropriate personal protective equipment is available to contractor and healthcare staff when interacting with those detainees being held in isolation. You may also be aware that as detainees are medically assessed by a nurse within two hours of arrival and by a doctor with 24 hours.
I hope this provides some clarification and thank you again for contacting me.
Yours sincerely,
Mel Stride MP
MP for Central Devon
