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| Visiting Committees and inspections. |
137. - (1) The Secretary of State must appoint a committee (to be known as the Visiting Committee) for each detention centre.
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(2) The functions of the Visiting Committee for a detention centre are to be such as may be prescribed by the detention centre rules.
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(3) Those rules may, in particular, require members of the Visiting Committee for a detention centre-
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(a) to pay frequent visits to the centre; |
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(b) to hear complaints made by persons detained in the centre; and |
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(c) to report to the Secretary of State any matter which they consider it expedient to report. |
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(4) Every member of the Visiting Committee for a detention centre may at any time enter the centre and have free access to every part of it and to every person detained there.
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(5) In section 5A of the Prison Act 1952 (which deals with the appointment and functions of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons), after subsection (5), insert-
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"(5A) Subsections (2) to (5) apply to detention centres (as defined by section 132 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 and including any in Scotland) and persons detained in such detention centres as they apply to prisons and prisoners."
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| Detention centre rules. |
138. - (1) The Secretary of State must make rules for the regulation and management of detention centres.
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(2) Detention centre rules may, among other things, make provision with respect to the safety, care, activities, discipline and control of detained persons.
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(3) To the extent to which detention centre rules so provide, the provisions of the rules apply also to short-term holding facilities.
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Custody and movement of detained persons |
| Detainee custody officers. |
139. - (1) On an application made to him under this section, the Secretary of State may certify that the applicant-
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(a) is authorised to perform escort functions; or |
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(b) is authorised to perform both escort functions and custodial functions. |
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(2) The Secretary of State may not issue a certificate of authorisation unless he is satisfied that the applicant-
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(a) is a fit and proper person to perform the functions to be authorised; and |
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(b) has received training to such standard as the Secretary of State considers appropriate for the performance of those functions. |
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(3) A certificate of authorisation continues in force until such date, or the occurrence of such event, as may be specified in the certificate but may be suspended or revoked under paragraph 7 of Schedule 9.
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(4) A certificate which authorises the performance of both escort functions and custodial functions may specify one date or event for one of those functions and a different date or event for the other.
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(5) If the Secretary of State considers that it is necessary for the functions of detainee custody officers to be conferred on prison officers or prisoner custody officers, he may make arrangements for that purpose.
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(6) Schedule 9 makes further provision about detainee custody officers.
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| Custodial functions and discipline etc. at detention centres. |
140. - (1) Custodial functions may be discharged at a detention centre only by-
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(a) a detainee custody officer authorised, in accordance with section 139(1), to perform such functions; or |
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(b) a prison officer, or prisoner custody officer, exercising functions in relation to the detention centre- |
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(i) in accordance with arrangements made under section 139(5); or
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(ii) as a result of a contract entered into under section 135(1)(b).
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(2) Schedule 10 makes provision with respect to discipline and other matters at detention centres.
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