RAF Base Being Converted For Use As New Immigration Centre

The former RAF Base at Coltishall, near Norwich, is being transferred to the Home Office as part of our efforts to expand detention capacity.

Today’s announcement follows discussions, which began last year, with local MPs and councillors about the proposed plans and will help deliver additional detention capacity committed to as part of the Home Secretary’s review of immigration published last year.

Welcoming today’s announcement Director General of IND Lin Homer said: “Increasing IND’s detention space is an important step in delivering on the Home Secretary, John Reid’s, commitments, which included doubling our enforcement activity and enforcing our immigration laws more robustly.

“We are committed to enforcing immigration controls and determined to ensure that those abusing the system and the UK’s hospitality are removed. Removing those who have no right to remain in the UK is an integral part of a balanced approach to asylum and immigration.

“In 2005 we achieved 17,000 asylum removals and enforced the removal of over 12,000 non-asylum offenders. Additional detention capacity will help us expand that even further.

“We will also double our enforcement and compliance resources by 2009 as well as targeting enforcement against those who are the most harmful to the UK.”