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© Copyright, Independent Monitoring Boards 2025.

Immigration detention facilities may struggle with airport expansion

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south and west sthf

The Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) for the South and West short-term holding facilities (STHFs) monitors and reports on the welfare of people in STHFs at Bristol and Cardiff airports, and Poole, Portsmouth and Newhaven seaports. The Board’s annual report (published 8 July 2025) highlights concerns around the lack of planning surrounding the expansion of Bristol airport and Home Office policy on the removal of prescribed medications.

The IMB notes that:

  • Staffing levels at Bristol airport were sometimes insufficient to allow detained people to be transferred to the more comfortable STHF from the exposed controlled waiting area, which is particularly concerning in light of the planned expansion of the airport from 10 million passengers per year to 13 million, which does not include plans to expand the detention facilities.
  • As a result of national policy, medication continued to be removed from detained people and there were inadequate arrangements in place to obtain authorisation for use. On one occasion a detained person at Bristol airport was prevented from taking post operation antibiotics.
  • At Portsmouth seaport induction logs were frequently missing key information, including details on the officer leading the process, the detained person’s welfare and legal requirements, which has potential implications for a person’s care. Furthermore, some records at Poole seaport and Cardiff airport were unavailable to be reviewed, which prevented the Board from being able to monitor effectively.
  • Some of the detention facilities were inadequate on occasion, for instance sites were unable to provide hot food for long periods, Poole holding room had no heating, and there was no soap available at Portsmouth for hand washing.

However, it is also pleased to report that:

  • There was an improvement in the quality of recording at Bristol airport.
  • When the opportunity arose to interview those detained, everyone reported that they were treated well by Border Force staff.

IMB South & West STHF Chair, Di Askwith, said:

“People in immigration detention can be anxious and vulnerable and may have had a challenging journey to reach that point. IMB members monitor detention facilities and report on whether people are being treated humanely and decently. During the 2024-25 reporting year in the South, West and Wales, our observations indicated that people in detention were being treated well by Border Force.

However, we would like to see more consistent record keeping and for the IMB to be able to access all records in order for us to strengthen the evidence we collect.”