To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the Report on an unannounced inspection of Morton Hall Immigration Removal Centre by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, published on 21 March, what steps they are taking to reduce the length of time individuals are detained; and whether they plan to introduce a maximum length of detention.

It is already the case that individuals detained under Immigration Act powers are held for the minimum time necessary to achieve their removal from the United Kingdom.

As part of the Government’s response to the review of the welfare in detention of vulnerable persons undertaken by Stephen Shaw CBE the Home Office has introduced, or is planning to introduce, a range of measure designed to further minimise the length of time individuals spend in immigration detention. These measures include: a new internal detention gatekeeper function to monitor admissions to the detention estate; new case progression plans with a clear focus on the individual’s removal from the UK; and quarterly internal case progression panels to monitor progression of all detained cases and reduce the number of long-term detainees.

The Government has no plans to introduce a maximum time limit on immigration detention.