Heathrow Airport detention rooms ‘degrading’ and ‘wholly unsuitable’
19.04.11
Adults and children are still being held overnight in ‘degrading’ and ‘wholly unsuitable’ conditions at Heathrow Airport a year after a watchdog criticised the UK Border Agency (UKBA) facilities. More than 15,000 people who were detained by immigration officials at Britain's biggest airport last year in rooms with no natural light, poor ventilation and inadequate washing facilities, the report by the airport's independent monitoring board (IMB) found.
The lack of progress since the ‘degrading’ conditions were highlighted last year was ‘unacceptable on grounds of humanity’, the watchdog said, adding: ‘The UK Border Agency has again failed in its duty to treat everyone in its care in Heathrow holding rooms with decency. In our last report we drew attention to the wholly unsuitable conditions in which men, women and children were held. There has been no change: they are still held in these conditions and still for too long. Lack of change is unacceptable on grounds of humanity.'
It called for Home Secretary Theresa May to review urgently the UKBA's powers for improving the accommodation and to give priority to the provision of a short-term holding facility offering overnight accommodation at, or near, the airport.
To book heathrow airport hotel or heathrow airport car park at the lowest price, click on these links to two great heathrow airport car parking and heathrow airport hotel price comparison page.
