Halsbury's Law Exchange blogger Simon Hetherington reports on the inspection of Tinsley House immigration centre
"Hats off to the chief inspector of prisons. His report of an inspection of Tinsley House immigration removal centre is clear and robust in its findings, and exacting and precise in its recommendations. The report is generally favourable, demonstrating the improvements which have and are being made since a previous, harsher report; many of its recommendations seemed geared towards shoring up good and improving practice.
So perhaps it is in one sense unfortunate that grabbing the Guardian headline is the recommendation that people should no longer be taken to the airport as reserve deportees, in case someone scheduled for removal is not able to be actually removed. The report describes the practice as “inhumane”, “distressing” and “objectionable”—as indeed it is. But we must be fair: if Tinsley’s work since the previous inspection is anything to go on, that practice will indeed cease.
What is rather distasteful is the defence made by the UK Border Agency (UKBA). We can’t do better than to use the passage quoted in the Guardian:
