Appreciable numbers of detainees are kept for over 6 months and some for over 1 or 2 years. The eventual removal rate is just under 50%.
This is according to the annual review for 2017 of Heathrow Immigration Removal Centre, from the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB), in April 2018.
The report finds that detainees are generally are treated fairly, however:
- Too many detainees are kept in detention for long periods. The statistics show that appreciable numbers stay for over six months and some for over one or two years
- The delay in dealing with maintenance requests is often excessive. Showers not working, wash basins not draining, toilets not functioning and heating problems all affect daily life
- The very high proportion of detainees handcuffed when they are transported to hospital or for external interviews shows an over cautious risk evaluation which leads to an unnecessary humiliation for the majority, who cannot be sensibly described as an escape risk.
