Select Committee on Northern Ireland Affairs Written Evidence


APPENDIX 13

Memorandum submitted by the Law Centre (NI)

  As you will know the Steele review made a brief reference to the unacceptability of using prison as a place to house immigration detainees. The Law Centre and a large number of other voluntary organisations have long campaigned for an alternative accommodation facility to be developed in Northern Ireland and that detention be seen as a matter of last resort. At present Maghaberry prison holds up to 60 to 70 asylum seekers in prison each year for periods of up to 12 months in some cases. The asylum seekers detained in prison have committed no criminal offence.

  We recognise that the new enquiry is likely to focus primarily on the question of separation of paramilitary prisoners and safety issues for staff and prisoners. Nonetheless, we would welcome the committee making a finding on the question of developing alternative accommodation within Northern Ireland to hold those who are detained for immigration purposes and that such detention should be a matter of last resort.

2 October 2003



 
previous page contents next page

House of Commons home page Parliament home page House of Lords home page search page enquiries index

© Parliamentary copyright 2004
Prepared 11 February 2004