HM Chief Inspector of Prisons carried out an unannounced inspection of Dungavel House Immigration Removal Centre – Scotland’s only detention facility – between August 18–21 and September 1-4 2025. The report, authored by Chief Inspector of Prisons Charlie Taylor, was published on December 1, 2025.
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Inspectors found that the centre, which can hold up to 117 men and is run on behalf of the Home Office by the GEO Group, provides an extensive programme of activities. These include:
The report states that the range and amount of purposeful activity were “exceptional” and exceeded that available in many Category C prisons. Up to nine hours a day of organised activities were offered, with the gym and outdoor pitch also available in the evenings and at weekends.
The inspection noted that many detainees were held for prolonged periods because removal was not imminent, largely due to difficulties obtaining travel documents from their countries of origin.
The introduction to the reports said: “Dungavel House continued to deliver good outcomes for detainees. The introduction of weekly management welfare checks for those held for more than six months, and the care taken with arrangements for the onward journeys of detainees being released, were laudable, new initiatives. Less positively, women had restricted access to the facilities and activities, and arrangements for the release of some vulnerable detainees needed more care.
“Staff levels, including management capacity, had increased, and a culture of care was evidenced by good relationships with residents. Improvements in the physical condition of the centre were also noteworthy.”
To read the full report click here.
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