Haslar immmigration removal centre

Address and contact information

Haslar Immigration Removal Centre
2 Dolphin Way
Gosport
Hampshire
PO12 2AW

Main telephone & fax

Tel: (023) 9260 4000
Fax: (023) 9260 4001

Description

Haslar IRC holds adult males aged 18 and over who have been detained under the Immigration Act by the UK Border Agency. It was re-designated as a removal centre & began operating under the detention centre rules in February 2002, but has held Immigration detainees since 1989. It is currently operated by the HM Prison Service under a service level agreement.


UK Border Agency manager Nicki Gibson

Reception times

Mon - Fri 0800 to2000

Sat - Sun 0800 to 1600

Bed spaces - 160 male beds

Facilities include

• The education department at IRC Haslar offers a diverse range of courses including ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages), computer hardware, food hygiene, health & safety, business skills, IT & art. All courses offer accredited qualifications. The Art Classes are proactive in providing detainees the choice of displaying their art work around the establishment and at local exhibitions. The department is open four and a half days and three evenings per week. The contract is managed by Highbury College. Haslar is an active participant in the music in detention programme, enabling detainees to experience and participate in the music of many different cultures. To support this, a music classroom was recently built into the facilities.
• The library at Haslar stocks books in more than forty languages with a choice of foreign newspapers and magazines. They also provide a borrowing service for music cassettes, CDs, videos and DVDs in a range of languages. The library is open every weekday and is run by Hampshire County Council who provides a professional librarian for each session. The library also provides a popular listening room, which is always busy with detainees listening to music and reading.
• The physical education department provides a range of activities and courses, catering for both detainees and staff. Occasional sporting fixtures are arranged between the detainees and staff and with other establishments. Other highlights are the annual five-a-side tournament, and the 10km run, both of which attract entries from the wider community. The facilities include a weights/cardio-vascular suite, a resistance exercise room, a sports hall, two five-a-side pitches, a full size football pitch, an artificial cricket wicket and an outdoor running area.
• Haslar is a very active multi-faith community and can cater for all faiths. Two quiet prayer rooms are available at all times, with Muslims and Christians meeting regularly everyday. Further worship facilities are also available when needed. A full time Christian chaplain is supported by a regular Imam and sectional support from Buddhist, Christian and Hindu ministers. Volunteers from a local Sikh Gurdwara also visit regularly. Haslar regularly celebrates many religious festivals and special arrangements are in place for Ramadan, Devali and Christmas, among others.
• Haslar holds family days four times a year, always during school holiday periods. These enable families to visit the centre, eat together, and participate together in activities. Music, arts and sports are frequently on the timetable. Please contact the centre for details of the next planned day.
• Haslar has a welfare officer who is responsible for assisting detainees with issues outside the centre. The requirements of detention mean that it is not possible for detainees to conduct affairs in the community in a normal manner. This can include matters which have a direct bearing on their detention, their immigration case and their release or removal from the UK. The welfare officer is available weekdays between 0900 and 1600. Members of the public can contact the welfare officer if they have issues they would like help with on (023) 9260 4239. Legal support for detainees is also available via the welfare office, with surgeries provided by the Refugee Legal Centre, Citizens Advice Bureau, & Bail for Immigration Detainees.
• A small shop is available for the detainees to purchase items such as toiletries, biscuits, sweets, soft drinks, etc every weekday except Wednesday mornings. Opening times vary depending on staffing levels.
• Medical care is provided in the form of an on-site healthcare centre which houses the nursing staff. Healthcare provision is available from 0800 to 2100 Mon - Fri and from 0800 to 1700 over the weekend.
• An on call doctor arrives every morning except on Sundays and Bank Holidays. They initially deal with the previous day's receptions and then a list of other cases who will be waiting to see them on an appointment basis.
• A dental suite is staffed by an external dentist who provides weekday cover on an appointment basis. However emergency dental treatment can also be administrated.

Volunteers scheme

Haslar offers a number of volunteer positions within the Centre, where detainees can help out within their community. Roles include assisting in Education, the Gym, the Laundry, providing additional cleaning services and helping in the Kitchen, including cooking speciality dishes for the Centre.

Directions

Car
From the M27 exit at junction 11 and follow signs for Gosport and the A32 for about 4 miles. You will approach 2 roundabouts. Go straight across the first roundabout and take the 3rd exit on the second roundabout onto Military Road. Take the second exit on the next roundabout, Gomer Lane. This is one exit past the signpost for the Centre. The official signs would take you through the town?s one-way system. Take the first exit on the next roundabout which will take you along the sea front. You will come to a small roundabout, take the second exit, Fort Road. Dolphin Way is on the right hand side along this road.

Parking
Parking in Dolphin Way is usually impossible. As you go down Fort Road, past the golf course on your right, you will see a small stone tower on your right. This is at the entrance to a public car park area (NB rough ground). Alternatively, park along the road. You will see the big green fence of our sports field on the right. Follow this along until you arrive at Dolphin Way. As you walk up Dolphin Way, you will find the gate house on your right. Please report here.

Train
The nearest railway station is Portsmouth Harbour, which is served from both London Waterloo & Victoria. Waterloo offers both fast and slow services. Turn left out of the station to catch the cross-harbour ferry service to Gosport Town. It takes about 5 minutes and leave approx every 10-15 minutes. Return ticket machines are on the quayside but exact change is required. On arrival in Gosport, it is easiest to take a taxi from the taxi rank, although buses (29 & 30) are also available one in each hour (If travelling by bus ask for the QinetiQ (pronounced kinetic) stop). The total time to allow is approx 2½ hours from London.

National Express coaches
Arrive at The Hard, Portsmouth Harbour, which is adjacent to Portsmouth Harbour Railway Station. Please follow information as for the train services for further directions.

Visits

Social visits

Current visiting hours are as follows:
Saturday 0900 to 1130 (last entry 1100) and 1400 to 1600 (last entry 1530)
Sunday 1400 to 1600 (last entry 1530)
Monday 1400 to 1600 (last entry 1530) and 1800 to 1945 (last entry 1915)
Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday 1400 to1600 (last entry 1530)
Thursday 0930 to 1600 (no entry between 1200 to 1300, last entry 1530) and 1800 to 1945 (last entry 1915)

No booking required. Please come to the gate with proof of identity and request to see your detainee. You will not be able to visit without proof of identity. Valid identity documents include the following:

• Either one of
• Passport
• EC Identity Card
• Driving licence
• Benefits book
• ARC card

OR two of:

• Birth/marriage certificate
• Rail or bus pass with photo
• Cheque book or credit/debit card
• Employer?s pass or ID or student ID card not acceptable
• Young person's "proof of age" card
• Trade union or national union of student?s membership card
• Library card if it has a signature
• Foreign identity or resident?s card

Additional info:

• All visitors are subject to search
• Last admissions are 30 minutes before the close of session
• Detainees may receive only money and newspapers through visits
• Domestic visitors may bring in small chess sets (or equivalent) to play with the detainee
• On Thursdays sandwiches may be ordered on arrival for visitors and detainees. Once visitors have arrived they are unable to leave the visits area and return again.

Legal & official visits

Legal visits must be booked at least 24 hours in advance. Please contact (023) 9260 4073.

Additional Information

• Legal visitors require proof of identity. In addition to the list above, they must provide a letter of introduction stating the name of the detainee, and the visits unique reference number, given to them at the time of booking.
• Laptops may be used in the Visits hall, but on battery power only & not to connect to the internet.
• Official visitors may use a Government ID card or pass. This includes medical practitioners.
• For any UKBA staff who wishes to arrange an interview in legal visits, you must ensure that official notification is faxed in advance to the centre if you are intending to bring a camera or fingerprint equipment into the centre. The fax should be addressed to legal visits / security manager & sent via (023) 9260 4001.

Other information

Detention services now operate a policy which restricts the amount of baggage detainees can have in the centre.