Section one Context In early 2019 HMICFRS and HMI Prisons carried out the first inspection of Terrorism Act (TACT) custody facilities. The inspection assessed outcomes for detainees at the five custody suites across England, along with the national framework for TACT detention suites provided through, and overseen by, the National Counter Terrorism Policing Network. The inspection found that there was good treatment and levels of care for detainees held under TACT, but governance arrangements for TACT detention were limited. The report, published in August 2019, made recommendations to both counter terrorism policing and the forces hosting the TACT suites to address these concerns. which, in turn, led to inappropriate use of handcuffing. Between October 2018 and March 2019, 55% of the person escort records examined were unsatisfactory. For example, key data such as appropriate medical contact numbers were regularly missed, impacting on decency and welfare.79 Other serious concerns included children and young people being left alone in court custody cells despite the requirement that they be accompanied; long journeys to and from court for children and young people – including daily round trips during trials of up to four hours; and lengthy waits in court custody at the conclusion of hearings while transport arrangements to YOIs were made. Court custody and escorts HMI Prisons observed a commitment to improve outcomes for detainees across all court areas it inspected, with a clear focus on welfare. Nevertheless, it found excessive use of handcuffs and searching in court custody facilities. Despite some concerted attention by Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunal Service to improving court environments, physical conditions overall in court cells remained poor. The lack of consistent mental health support for detainees in court cells was also a concern. Lay Observers reported grave concerns regarding the quality and completeness of information in person escort records (used to record information about detainees when they are transferred between places of detention) in England and Wales, including a lack of information about health conditions and self-harm risks Immigration detention At the end of March 2019, there were 1,839 people held in the UK detention estate, a third (33%) less than last year.80 This reflected a fall in the volume of people entering immigration detention of 10% in the year to December 2018. It was of concern, however, that 355 detainees were held in prison establishments.81 The IMBs noted that this dramatic fall in numbers across the estate brought an end to overcrowding, enabled improvements and led to higher standards of cleanliness. HMI Prisons found outcomes were good or reasonably good across the immigration removal centres inspected in 2018–19. Reports on the wrongful detention and deportation of Windrush citizens formed the backdrop to the 2018 decrease in the number of people entering immigration 79 Lay Observers, 2019, Annual Report of Chair of Lay Observers 2018–19, https://s3-eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/ layobservers-prod-storage-nu2yj19yczbd/uploads/2019/09/Lay-Observers-18-19-Annual-Report-180919-FINAL.pdf [accessed 18/10/19] 80 Home Office, May 2019, Immigration statistics, year ending March 2019, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ immigration-statistics-year-ending-march-2019/summary-of-latest-statistics [accessed 18/10/19] 81 National Statistics, May 2019, How many people are detained or returned? https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ immigration-statistics-year-ending-march-2019/how-many-people-are-detained-or-returned [accessed 05/12/19] 31