Mitie C&C Ltd has been awarded the contract to manage Dungavel Immigration Removal Centre (IRC) on behalf of the Home Office.

They have also been appointed to manage the new Derwentside for women in County Durham ‘formerly known as Hassockfield STC’.

The Dungavel contract will begin in September 2021 and includes significant improvements to the previous contract, including:

• Increased staff levels on site to improve safety and welfare of both residents and staff.
• A dedicated welfare team available daily to focus on the needs of residents.
• The ability to increase or decrease the number of residents being accommodated at any one time.

These improvements are part of the Home Office strategy to modernise the immigration detention estate and create a better, safer environment in line with Stephen Shaw’s reviews of welfare in immigration detention.

Derwentside will replace Yarl’s Wood as the main IRC for detained women and is a new, smaller, facility that will maintain the standards and high expectations for the detention of women.

Mitie C&C Ltd have prior experience in managing IRCs and currently manage Harmondsworth and Colnbrook at Heathrow.

The current operator for Dungavel is GEO UK Limited, who will be working with both Mitie C&C Ltd and the Home Office to ensure a smooth and successful transition.