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Lord Howell of Guildford: My Lords, does the noble Baroness share with me—I am sure that she will—regret at the latest suicide bombing outrage in Tel Aviv and yet more pointless deaths? Will she help all who will listen to understand that suicide bombing will achieve nothing whatever to carry forward any kind of peace accord? Can the Minister tell us whether it is true that the Israeli Government are now considering—presumably under some kind of American pressure—
realigning the fence or wall that they have been erecting, which has been roundly condemned both in Washington and in London?
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: My Lords, on the question of the appalling incident this morning in Tel Aviv, I refrained from referring to that because in the immediate aftermath of what happened it is not clear that it was a suicide bombing. Reports are still very confused. There is some indication that, as horrible as the incident may have been, it may have been a criminal incident and not a suicide bombing in the way that, alas, we have come to recognise as being part of the Israel/Palestine conflict. We must wait to see how that unfolds.
As regards the issue of the routing of the security fence, of course we would welcome any reconsideration that the Israeli Cabinet would give to that. We have discussed this matter before in your Lordships' House. I have reiterated to your Lordships that it is a question not of the fence in itself but of the routing, which we believe to be unlawful because of the path that it takes over the land on the other side of the 1967 line.
Lord Haskel: My Lords, is my noble friend aware that the Geneva Accord is but one example of the Palestinians and Israelis getting together at grass-root level to discuss past peace? Does my noble friend agree that the work of organisations such as Three Faiths in Britain, One Voice in America and the joint Israeli and Palestinian schools and hospitals is a cause for optimism and a force for good?
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: Yes, my Lords, I agree with that wholeheartedly. The organisations that are able to bring together—across the communities involved—those who are willing to talk about a way forward that is constructive and does not immediately move to the extremes of argument is very much to be welcomed. I reiterate the words of the Prime Minister when he asked the noble Lord, Lord Levy, to go on his behalf and issued a statement about the Geneva Accord. He said:
- "I hope that this initiative will also show that Israelis and Palestinians remain capable of finding partners for peace and working together, and encourage a return to the negotiating table".
Yarl's Wood Detention Centre
3.25 p.m.
Baroness Williams of Crosby asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What investigation is being made into the allegations published in the Daily Mirror of 8th December about the conduct of staff at Yarl's Wood detention centre.
Lord Bassam of Brighton: My Lords, we take these allegations very seriously indeed. It is obviously of the
utmost importance that staff at immigration removal centres should carry out their duties professionally and sensitively. Our contractor at Yarl's Wood Immigration Removal Centre, Global Solutions Limited, has launched a full investigation into the allegations. That investigation will be conducted by a senior manager with no line management responsibility for Yarl's Wood.In addition, the Minister for Citizenship, Immigration and Counter Terrorism, Beverley Hughes, has decided that there should be a full and independent investigation. She is considering urgently how best that might be conducted.
Baroness Williams of Crosby: My Lords, I am most grateful to the Minister, especially for his assurance about an independent investigation into these serious charges. Can he give the House an assurance that one of the rumours that ran around Yarl's Wood—to the effect that new control and restraint orders would enable officers of the contractors to kick, punch and, indeed, head butt future detainees—is completely without foundation? In addition, can the Minister tell the House how he would propose that an investigation should be conducted in such a way that the allegations that some detainees were beaten up out of view of CCTV cameras can be thoroughly looked into?
Lord Bassam of Brighton: My Lords, as I made plain, it will be a full and independent investigation, the terms of which have yet to be determined. I can also confirm that that independent investigation and its findings will be made fully public. As regards the allegations to which the noble Baroness refers, it is most important that those matters are fully and properly investigated; that any wrongdoing that perhaps took place in the past—the extent of which should be revealed—is made plain; and that those people who are at fault are properly dealt with.
Lord Mayhew of Twysden: My Lords, would the Minister confirm that these detention centres fall within the remit of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons? Does he recall from the recent book of Sir David Ramsbotham that in 2001 he was ordered by the then Prison Minister, Mr Boateng, not to carry out a review jointly with the Commission for Racial Equality of the treatment of ethnic minorities in prisons, including detention centres? Do these reports not suggest that that was a thoroughly bad decision? Can the noble Lord indicate whether there is equal discouragement currently exerted on the present chief inspector?
Lord Bassam of Brighton: My Lords, I know of no such discouragement. I can confirm that the Chief Inspector of Prisons has a remit that covers removal centres. I am sure and I am confident that the chief inspector will take careful consideration of any allegations of racism or racist abuse or violence towards those detained within those centres. Additionally, there is the important role carried out by the statutory independent monitoring boards that have free and open access to all parts of those centres
and can also hear requests and complaints about particular matters, such as racism in any removal centre.
Lord Roberts of Conwy: My Lords, can the noble Lord give the House an assurance that the results of the investigation will be published and made available to us? Are the Government sure that the abuse at Yarl's Wood was an isolated occurrence? If they are not convinced, should they not extend their inquiries to other institutions under Home Office control, particularly in view of the report in this morning's Guardian of brutality within the Prison Service at Wormwood Scrubs?
Lord Bassam of Brighton: My Lords, I think that I made it plain in one of my earlier responses that the results of the independent investigation would be brought fully into the public domain. Like the noble Lord I, too, was appalled at what I read in today's Guardian and I know that those matters figure highly in the thinking of the Home Secretary. He is keeping the position under close review.
Lord Carlisle of Bucklow: My Lords, have the Government come to a final decision about the future of the Chief Inspector of Prisons?
Lord Bassam of Brighton: My Lords, the Chief Inspector of Prisons continues to do an excellent job. I was not under the impression that we had come to a final view about the chief inspector, other than to confirm that she is doing a first-rate job.
Lord Phillips of Sudbury: My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Bassam, gave a reassuring reply to my noble friend Lady Williams, but he did not refer to that part of her Question which, in turn, refers to a report in a national newspaper. Perhaps I may quote from it:
- "I listened with horror as senior officers at Yarl's Wood sadistically relished rumours that they would soon be able to punch, kick and even headbutt difficult inmates under new control and restraint plans by [the] Home Secretary".
Lord Bassam of Brighton: My Lords, I hope that it is a load of nonsense because it is certainly not something envisaged in the restraint measures available to officers in the removal centres. What has been described is not something that we would wish to see at all.
The Earl of Sandwich: My Lords, following on from Yarl's Wood, have the Government decided to change the model of detention centres, in particular along the designs recommended by the Refugee Council?
Lord Bassam of Brighton: My Lords, we greatly respect the work of the Refugee Council and we take careful cognisance of everything that it says about removal centres. No doubt some of the council's
comments will have been reflected in the redesign of Yarl's Wood that took place following the fire over a year ago.Smoking in Public Places (Wales) Bill [HL]
Baroness Finlay of Llandaff: My Lords, I beg to introduce a Bill to prohibit the smoking of tobacco by any person in Wales while in a public place. I beg to move that this Bill be now read a first time.
Moved, That the Bill be now read a first time.—(Baroness Finlay of Llandaff.)
On Question, Bill read a first time, and ordered to be printed.
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