Commons Sense

House of Commons · General Debate

Separation Centres Review 2026-02-03

03 February 2026 · 7 other contributors

Opened by David Lammy Lab Tottenham

Justice & Courts

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

David Lammy raised concerns about separation centres review 2026-02-03 in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.

Key points

  • The Government has responded to Jonathan Hall KC's review of separation centres, accepting all 13 recommendations to improve risk management and governance.
  • Investment in protective equipment and training for frontline staff has been announced following a violent attack by Hashem Abedi.
  • The Government is committed to strengthening security measures while adhering to ECHR obligations.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

David Lammy Lab Tottenham

The Government has responded to Jonathan Hall KC’s independent review of separation centres, which focuses on the protection of prison officers from violent extremism. The review highlights the need for small specialist units to manage dangerous offenders. Following a brutal attack by convicted terrorist Hashem Abedi in HMP Frankland, new measures include investment in protective equipment and training for frontline staff. The Government accepts all 13 recommendations made by Mr Hall and will improve risk management, governance of separation centres, current policy and law reform, and intelligence practices.

Other contributors (7)
  • Nick Timothy Con West Suffolk

    Timothy supports the necessity of separation centres for housing dangerous terrorist offenders. He emphasises the Islamist threat and critiques the reluctance to name it openly. He calls on prison inspectors to investigate extremist activities, including sharia courts in prisons. He questions the impact of human rights laws on prison management and urges the Justice Secretary to consider legal reforms to limit litigation based on article 8 of the European convention.

  • David Lammy Lab Tottenham

    Mr Lammy agreed with the need for stricter measures against dangerous radicals but emphasised that leaving the European Convention on Human Rights would put vulnerable groups at risk. He highlighted ongoing efforts to address extremism in prisons and praised cross-party agreement.

  • Jess Brown-Fuller LD Chichester

    Ms Brown-Fuller paid tribute to prison officers who were attacked and supported the review by Jonathan Hall KC, calling for a timeline on implementing recommendations. She also raised concerns about inconsistent training and mental health support for staff.

  • Edward Leigh Con Gainsborough

    Sir Leigh questioned the effectiveness of deradicalisation efforts in separation centres and asked about psychological pressures used to change offenders' behaviour. He expressed a belief that prisons should aim at redemption as well as punishment.

  • Julian Lewis Con New Forest East

    Sir Lewis raised concerns about prisoners using mental health arguments to escape separation centres and asked for statistics on the number of Islamic extremist prisoners in different parts of the prison system.

  • Lammy Constitutional Party

    Turned the tide on the prison capacity crisis inherited by introducing a tiered approach, including supermax facilities at multiple sites. Emphasised that high-security prisoners would be housed in category A prisons due to necessity. Cited an incident at Frankland and mentioned visiting Belmarsh prison.

  • Jim Shannon DUP Strangford

    Acknowledged the Secretary of State's statement and highlighted Northern Ireland's segregation practices during the troubles as essential for isolating dangerous individuals. Questioned whether powers would be exercised to isolate those whose presence is dangerous under national security considerations.

Government Response

David Lammy

The Government have acted decisively following the attack, investing in protective equipment and training. They accept all recommendations from Jonathan Hall’s review to improve risk management, governance of separation centres, policy reform, and intelligence practices. They are committed to protecting frontline staff and strengthening security measures. The Justice Secretary acknowledged the need for stricter measures but emphasised the importance of staying within ECHR obligations to protect vulnerable groups. He confirmed that separation centres are vital and that cross-party support exists for them. Recognised Jim Shannon’s experience with terrorist and extremist behaviour, emphasising the importance of remaining within the ECHR framework while reducing excessive litigation. Suggested looking at capping compensation payments and other measures to ease burdens on staff working in these environments.

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