The safety and security of Internally Displaced Persons camps and detention centres in northeast Syria is the responsibility of the detaining authority.

The UK’s aim is to see that justice and accountability are achieved for all parties and that those who have committed crimes in the name of Daesh are prosecuted for their crimes, in a manner consistent with relevant domestic and international standards.

There is a general duty of care on contractors to highlight to the Home Office any concerns they have about the welfare of detainees, but there are no specific contractual obligations for service providers operating immigration removal centres (IRCs) to report or manage individuals as potential victims or victims of trafficking.

The decision to refer a person as a potential victim of trafficking or slavery into the National Referral Mechanism (NRM), which identifies and supports potential victims, is made by a First Responder. Home Office staff working in IRCs can act as First Responders. Potential victims and Serco staff or any other contractor working in an IRC are not defined as First Responders but they may highlight a trafficking/slavery claim to Home Office staff who will then determine what action needs to be taken.

There is no evidence to suggest that there has been a reduction in visa applications as a result of the introduction of the Immigration Health Surcharge.

A summary of Immigration Health Surcharge income collected during 2015-16 will be published shortly in the Home Office annual report and accounts.

As at 31 March 2016, the latest published statistics, there were 66 Afghan and 19 Syrian nationals in detention in the UK. There were no Burmese nationals held in detention on the 31 March 2016.

The Home Office publishes quarterly and annual statistics on the number of persons removed or departed voluntarily from the UK within Immigration Statistics. Information on those in detention by nationality is available in the latest release, Immigration Statistics: January to March 2016, table dt_13_q from GOV.UK on the statistics web pages at: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/home-office/series/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release.

We are currently not enforcing returns to Syria, although Syrians may be removed to safe third countries, for example where they have been identified as the responsibility of an EU Member State.

All complaints made by detainees are investigated by the relevant supplier in accordance with Detention Services Order 03/2015 'Handling complaints'. Any allegations of serious misconduct made by a detainee against staff are also referred to the Home Office Professional Standards Unit (PSU) for investigation. Where a detainee, or someone on behalf of a detainee, alleges that a member of staff has committed a sexual offence against them the police will automatically be notified, even if the detainee does not wish the matter to be reported or to make a formal complaint.

Management information shows that there have been six allegations of sexual assault made by detainees against staff at Yarl's Wood immigration removal centre between 2013 and 2015. Of these six allegations, one was made in 2013, three in 2014 and two in 2015.

In the same period there have been two Home Office PSU investigations into allegations of sexual assault made by detainees against staff in other immigration removal centres. Both allegations were made in 2015. There have been no allegations of rape made by a detainee against staff at any immigration removal centre during this period.

This is provisional management information that is subject to change. It has not been assured to the standard of Official Statistics.

Information on the number of women who have been deported following an allegation of sexual abuse or rape while in detention is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

In 2015, 133 children left detention, of which: 50 were removed, 81 were granted temporary admission or release and 2 for other reasons. As at 31 December there were no children held in detention.

The Home Office publishes quarterly and annual statistics on the number of persons removed or departed voluntarily from the UK within Immigration Statistics. Information on those leaving detention is available in the latest release, Immigration Statistics: January to March 2016, table dt_09 from GOV.UK on the statistics web pages at: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/home-office/series/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release.

The Home Office does not hold this information.

Biometric residence permits (BRP) are issued to non-European Economic Area (EEA) migrants who are granted leave to come and stay in the UK for more than six months. The BRP contains the photograph and fingerprints of the holder. Since August 2015, all non-EEA nationals applying for leave for more than six months must also apply for a BRP.

A manual review of every application resulting in a grant of leave to remain on the basis of private or family life would be required to determine the proportion of those made by overstayers. This information cannot therefore be provided without exceeding proportionate costs.

Those with temporary leave to remain keep the conditions of that leave, including any associated work rights, until a new application is decided.

Those whose leave to remain has already expired do not have permission to work and must normally make an application to regularise their stay within 28 days.

Management information for 26 May 2016 indicate that there were no pregnant women detained under Immigration Act powers in an immigration removal centre or residential short-term holding facility, subject to these conditions.

Following a grant of permission to remain on a basis that provides access to benefits, individuals are issued with written confirmation that there are no longer any restrictions on them living and working in the UK. The letter confirms that a Biometric Residence Permit will normally be issued within 7 days from the date of decision, which can then be used as evidence of immigration status in support of any application for benefits.

The table attached shows the number of people removed on leaving detention, by nationality who were held for over six and over twelve months.

Published statistics relating to immigration detention are only available from 2010 onwards. It is not possible to provide pre-2010 figures and this information could be provided only by examining individual case records, which would result in disproportionate cost.

The Home Office publishes quarterly and annual statistics on the number of people detained in the United Kingdom for immigration purposes, within the Immigration Statistics release on the GOV.UK website:

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/home-office/series/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release

The table attached shows the number of people removed on leaving detention, by nationality who were held for over six and over twelve months.

Published statistics relating to immigration detention are only available from 2010 onwards. It is not possible to provide pre-2010 figures and this information could be provided only by examining individual case records, which would result in disproportionate cost.

The Home Office publishes quarterly and annual statistics on the number of people detained in the United Kingdom for immigration purposes, within the Immigration Statistics release on the GOV.UK website:

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/home-office/series/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release

The information requested is not routinely collected and could be provided only by examining individual case records, which would result in disproportionate cost.

The Government is still considering the arrangements for publishing the joint Department of Health, NHS England and Home Office mental health action plan.

Current policy is set out in paragraph 10 of Chapter 55 of the Home Office Enforcement Instructions and Guidance, which states that certain groups of individuals, including pregnant women, are normally considered suitable for detention in only very exceptional circumstances.

The Government announced in a Written Ministerial Statement on 14 January that it was introducing a new “adult at risk” concept into decision making on immigration detention, with a clear presumption that people who are at risk should not be detained, building on the existing legal framework. The Government has made a commitment to publish its “adult at risk” policy in May.

The new process announced in the Written Ministerial Statement on 18 April, will, if agreed by Parliament, provide an additional safeguard. It will provide absolute clarity that no woman who is known to be pregnant can be detained for longer than 72 hours, or, with Ministerial authorisation a maximum of a week. This puts in place the same safeguards as introduced in 2014 when the government put in place its policy to end the routine detention of children for immigration purposes.

At present, detention is authorised by an officer of at least the rank of Chief Immigration Officer (CIO) or Higher Executive Officer (HEO). As stated in the Government’s Written Ministerial Statement of 14 January, the Government is developing a new approach to the case management of those detained. This is intended to replace the existing detention review process with a clear removal plan for all those in detention.

It will ensure that all detainees, including pregnant women, spend the minimum possible time in detention. Under the new policy in order for detention to be extended beyond 72 hours ministerial authorisation will be required and the maximum detention period will be one week.

Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons and Independent Monitoring Boards already provide independent oversight of detention facilities and conditions of detention. Individuals, including pregnant women, are given prior notification of their liability to removal from the UK by the Home Office and they would be detained only for the purposes of identification or removal.

Management information for 19 April showed that two pregnant women were held at the border and there was one pregnant woman held in an IRC. Information on those held at the border and in IRCs in each of the last five years is not held centrally and providing it would incur disproportionate cost.

Management information for 19 April showed that two pregnant women were held at the border and there was one pregnant woman held in an IRC. Information on those held at the border and in IRCs in each of the last five years is not held centrally and providing it would incur disproportionate cost.

At present, detention is authorised by an officer of at least the rank of Chief Immigration Officer (CIO) or Higher Executive Officer (HEO). As stated in the Government’s Written Ministerial Statement of 14 January, the Government is developing a new approach to the case management of those detained. This is intended to replace the existing detention review process with a clear removal plan for all those in detention.

It will ensure that all detainees, including pregnant women, spend the minimum possible time in detention. Under the new policy in order for detention to be extended beyond 72 hours ministerial authorisation will be required and the maximum detention period will be one week.

Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons and Independent Monitoring Boards already provide independent oversight of detention facilities and conditions of detention. Individuals, including pregnant women, are given prior notification of their liability to removal from the UK by the Home Office and they would be detained only for the purposes of identification or removal.