Immigration detention firm G4S gets more than 700 complaints

Most complaints dismissed but 130 fully or partly upheld against company that runs three removal centres A security firm that handles immigration detainees received more than 700 complaints last year, according to official figures released under freedom of information. Most common complaints against G4S related to lost property and poor communication but there were 48 complaints of assault, three of which were upheld. Figures provided to the BBC showed there were 773 complaints from immigration detainees against the private company in 2010, of which 130 were found to be fully or partially substantiated. Around 640 were unsubstantiated. G4S said there were only 25 complaints substantiated that related directly to the conduct of its staff. Two complaints of racism were partially substantiated but six were dismissed. The figures showed there were a total of 1,497 complaints between December 2008 and April 2011. The number of complaints in 2010 were up by 240 over the previous year but the proportion upheld fell. G4S runs three removal centres and until recently escorted detainees during deportation. During the two and a half years about 65,000 people passed through the centres. More than half of the complaints related to Brook House, near Gatwick airport in Sussex, which holds convicted foreign criminals awaiting deportation. A spokesman for G4S told the BBC: “Anyone detained within our immigration facilities is given every opportunity to raise concerns about either the treatment they receive from our staff or the services we provide. “The level of substantiated complaints against our employees over the last three years, at 25, is extremely low and of a minor nature, albeit we take each one very seriously. “The vast majority of upheld complaints relate to issues at Brook House Immigration Removal Centre, which houses some of the UK’s most challenging detainees, including a number of convicted criminals, prior to their deportation.” David Wood, of the UK Border Agency, said: “The way that complaints are processed and recorded has been made simpler in recent years, which has led to a rise in recording. “Complaints range from issues about the food served at mealtimes to more serious issues. Importantly these figures show a decrease in substantiated complaints and that the majority of complaints are minor and relate to availability of facilities at the centres.” Immigration and asylum G4S G4S guardian.co.uk

Posted by on June 17, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.