The closure of the 282 bed centre is part of Home
Secretary ’s commitment to cut
the number of people detained at any given time and
improve the welfare of detainees. These reforms were
announced in response to Stephen Shaw’s review into
welfare of vulnerable people in detention.
By next summer, the Home Office will aim to reduce the
immigration detention estate by almost 40% since 2015.
Immigration Minister, said:
I am grateful to all the staff who’ve worked at
Campsfield over the years for their commitment and
professionalism.
Now is the right time to modernise and rationalise
the detention estate. We are committed to ensuring we
have a fair and humane immigration system that
provides control, and detention must only be used
when we are confident no other approaches will work.
In response to Stephen Shaw’s second review of the
government’s approach to vulnerable people in
immigration detention, the Home Office committed to
working with charities, faith groups, communities and
other stakeholders to develop alternatives to
detention, strengthening support for vulnerable
detainees and increasing transparency.
In addition, reforms have already led to a reduction in
the number of occupants per room, and will improve
facilities in immigration removal centres, including
piloting the use of Skype and reviewing the training
and support for staff in immigration removal centres.
In 2015, Centres in Dover and Haslar closed and the
Verne Immigration Removal Centre in Dorset closed in
January 2018. There are no current plans for further
immigration removal centre closures. However, as the
Home Office progresses with reforms outlined in the
response to Stephen Shaw’s second review, the use of
immigration detention and the implications for the
detention estate as a whole, will be kept under review.
