HMIP publishes inspection report on migrant detention at Dover and Folkestone

Article summary

HM Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) has published a report on an unannounced inspection of the detention facilities at Tug Haven and Kent Intake Unit in Dover and Frontier House in Folkestone. According to HMIP, the facilities mainly held people who had crossed the Channel on small boats from France. This latest inspection follows HMIP’s last inspection in September 2020 which found that the facilities were badly equipped to meet their purpose, with detainees experiencing poor conditions and broken down safeguarding processes. Following that inspection, the Home Office made assurances that it would take action to improve the strategic planning and conditions for detainees. The report provides that although some improvements were made, some conditions were found to be unsatisfactory, and it was evident that there is an ongoing weakness in Home Office governance and systems of accountability and safeguarding.