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Prison and immigration officers to inspect Napier Barracks
15:09, 12 February 2021
updated: 16:50, 15 February 2021
An inspection will be carried out at the controversial Napier Barracks - which is being used to house asylum seekers - next week.
The former military camp in Folkestone has been used by the Home Office to accommodate around 400 men seeking asylum in the UK since September.
Watch: There are continued calls to close Napier Barracks
But the centre has been criticised by the residents and charities for being unhygienic and cramped.
More than 100 people are claimed to have tested positive for Covid-19 at the site, and protests and a fire have also broken out in recent weeks.
Now, inspectors from the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration (ICIBI) and Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) are due to visit the barracks next week.
They will also inspect Penally Camp, a similar site in Wales.
Interviews with staff and residents will take place during the visits.
A review of "relevant locally-held documentary evidence" - such as rules, risk assessments and complaints - will also take place.
Inspectors will also survey staff and residents in advance of the visit and assess the premises and onsite facilities.
A statement from ICIBI says: "The Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration has sought the assistance of Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons with ICIBI’s inspection of contingency asylum accommodation, specifically Penally Camp and Napier Barracks, Folkestone.
"HMIP’s involvement will enable ICIBI’s inspection to progress at pace, without having to divert resources from other ‘live’ inspections, and it will also mean that ICIBI can benefit from HMIP’s knowledge and experience of inspecting large institutional settings, particularly during the current pandemic."
Following the site visits, HMIP will produce a written report of its findings which will be appended to ICIBI’s inspection report for publication by the Home Secretary.
As with all ICIBI inspections, the Independent Chief Inspector will raise any matters requiring urgent attention with the Home Office, or directly with ministers, in advance of submitting his full inspection report.
Yesterday, church leaders penned an open letter to the Home Secretary calling for Napier Barracks to be closed down. MPs have also called for the same thing.
