Written question asked by Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour) on Tuesday, 21 November 2017, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 5 December 2017. It was answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford (Conservative) on Monday, 27 November 2017 on behalf of the Home Office.

Migrants: Detainees

Question: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that Freedom of Information requests on the use of immigration detention for pregnant women are responded to within the deadlines specified by the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Answer: The Home Office takes every step to ensure Freedom of Information requests are answered within the 20 day statutory deadline. The recent increase in the 90% performance target implemented by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has led to the Home Office reviewing its processes and implementing a series of measures to streamline drafting and clearance. With cases where the requestor has asked for information which is sensitive or difficult to obtain can lead to some responses missing their deadline. We closely monitor performance and stress at the most senior levels in the department the need to improve and maintain performance within acceptable levels.

Secondary information