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Immigration: Yarl's Wood Removal Centre

My honourable friend the Minister of State for Immigration, Citizenship and Nationality (Tony McNulty) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. I have today placed in the Library of the House the action plan in respect of the report into the fire and disturbance at Yarl's Wood immigration removal centre. Mr Stephen Shaw was asked to conduct a report into the incident, and the findings of the investigation was completed and published on 16 November 2004. The report contained a number of recommendations, designed to minimise the risk of future disturbances. My right honourable friend the then Secretary of State for the Home Department also announced in a Written   Statement that he accepted Stephen Shaw's recommendation (number 60) that a forum comprising officials, contractors and relevant interest groups be set up to consider the provision of purposeful activity in removal centres. The purpose of the forum is to examine the seven relevant recommendations contained in the report and identify how they can be taken forward to enhance removal centre regimes. A number of meetings have already taken place and have involved consultation with HM Chief Inspector of Prisons and the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman. The action plan identifies the recommendations that have already been acted on and what considerations and progress have been made on the others. A completion date for implementation has been set for the end of 2005.