Call to rebuild 'filthy' immigration centre
CALLS have been made for a complete rebuild of an asylum centre after claims that detainees were being held in inhumane conditions.
Despite years of appeals from campaigners and the Chief Inspector of Prisons, Anne Owers, for a massive cash investment to bring Haslar Immigration Removal Centre in Gosport up to standard, the Home Office has refused to act.
A News investigation on Monday revealed how living areas there were slammed by inspectors as being filthy, with ingrained dirt and paint peeling off the walls.
The detainees, who are awaiting deportation, have only blankets to keep warm at night inside the cold 19th century buildings, with some having to share underpants.
Michael Woolley, of the Haslar Visitors Group, blamed two departments in the Home Office on the failure to rebuild the centre.
The Independent Monitoring Board said in a report last year if a similar situation occurred in industry 'there would have been dismissals or resignations sought for such a performance'.
Mr Woolley said: 'The centre's owned and operated by the Prison Service on behalf of the Immigration Nationality Directorate. The Prison Service doesn't want to invest in a building that's used by another department and the immigration service doesn't want to invest in a centre it doesn't own.'
A Home Office spokeswoman said there were plans for refurbishment of Haslar, but refused to say what that would entail and when it would take place.
paul.foster@thenews.co.uk
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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