Inspection of escort and removals to Portugal

What we found

Both removals were generally well organised and journey times before boarding were not excessive. However, escort paperwork detailing detainees’ risks, vulnerabilities and known medical conditions and medications was incomplete and inaccurate. More needed to be done to protect detainees’ privacy throughout the removal process.

Points to note: While some staff did not introduce themselves to the detainees, they were friendly and respectful, and inspectors saw evidence of staff using good communication skills and sensitivity to de-escalate a potentially volatile situation. Detainees were given an information leaflet about removal, but it was generic and did not include specifics such as flight departure or arrival times.