To ask Her Majesty's Government whether migrants detained in HM Prison The Verne from
24 March will have access to (1) Rule 35 procedures to determine whether their health
would be damaged by detention, for example, due to a history of torture, (2) mobile
telephones and the internet, (3) the ability to receive telephone calls from solicitors,
family and friends, and (4) on-site legal advice surgeries; and if not, why not.
<p> </p><p> </p><p>HM Prison The Verne started taking immigration detainees as scheduled
from 24 March 2014. The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) will retain The
Verne as a prison in the short term. Its designation as a prison will be reviewed
later this year, with the intention of completing the re-designation to an immigration
removal centre by the end of September 2014.</p><p> </p><p>While The Verne retains
its designation as a prison it will be governed by Prison Rules rather than Detention
Centre Rules. As The Verne is not governed by Detention Centre Rules, Rule 35 of those
rules is not applicable.</p><p> </p><p>Detainees held at The Verne will be treated
in the same way as other detainees held within the prison estate. As such they will
not have access to mobile telephones or the internet, nor will they be able to receive
telephone calls. They will, however, be able to make telephone calls and will have
access to both social and legal visits.</p><p> </p><p>There is a dedicated Home Office
Immigration Enforcement Team on site who will see detainees routinely on induction
and upon request. In addition, independent immigration advice will be provided by
Migrant Help.</p>
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the recent finding in the Demos report,
Introducing Generation Citizen, that 84 per cent of 14- to 17-year-olds intend to
vote when they attain the age of 18, how they intend to ensure that such intentions
to vote translate into first-time voting behaviour amongst young people; and what
steps they are taking to ensure that education establishments are committed to registering
all 16- and 17-year-olds to vote.
<p> </p><p>The new key stage 4 citizenship programme to be taught from September 2014
requires that pupils should be taught about “the different electoral systems used
in and beyond the United Kingdom and actions citizens can take in democratic and electoral
processes to influence decisions locally, nationally and beyond.”</p><p> </p><p>The
government has also made available £4.2 million funding to all 363 local authorities
and valuation joint boards in Great Britain and 5 national organisations. Electoral
registration officers have been encouraged to support the delivery of Rock Enrol!
in their area, a learning resource which not only provides an opportunity for young
people to register to vote, but enables them to discuss the importance of doing so.</p><p>
</p>