Government Announces Inquiry into events at Manston Short Term Holding Facility (13 February 2025)

The Government has launched a non-statutory independent inquiry into events at Manston House Short-Term Holding Facility between 1 June 2022 and 22 November 2022, when thousands of asylum seekers were held in appalling conditions which the Secretary of State accepted engaged her investigative duties under Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights, the right to not suffer inhuman and degrading treatment.

The inquiry will establish factual findings regarding the treatment of individuals at Manston. According to the Terms of Reference, it will specifically investigate the following issues:

• The conditions in which people were detained at Manston
• The treatment of detainees by staff and contractors
• Steps taken by the Home Office to arrange onward accommodation from Manston, including whether there were failings which caused or contributed to overcrowding and conditions
• Whether any measures were taken to improve conditions or shorten the period of time people were detained at Manston, and whether they were effective
• Whether there are lessons to be learned about the Home Office’s handling of the incident

Duncan Lewis Solicitors welcomes this announcement, which follows Judicial Review proceedings brought by our clients, which were instrumental in the closure of the facility in November 2022, and subsequent proceedings to secure an investigation compliant with the Secretary of State’s investigative obligations under Article 3.

Our clients intend to apply to participate in the inquiry in their pursuit of accountability, establishing truth and ensuring that the incident is not repeated.

The Minister’s Statement to Parliament announcing the inquiry can be found here. The inquiry’s terms of reference can be found here.

Lewis Kett, Katie Nelson, Elizabeth Cole and Hannah Jandu of our Public Law team represented our clients in the preceding Judicial Review claim.

Duncan Lewis Solicitors

Duncan Lewis has the leading public law and immigration practice in the UK. The team frequently takes on and successfully brings challenges in some of the most high profile cases in the UK, including in relation to the Rwanda plan and Manston House. The company was crowned Law Firm of the Year 2024 at the LexisNexis awards, and noted for its commitment to providing justice for all.

Duncan Lewis is renowned for its exceptional legal services and commitment to justice. The company employs a team of highly skilled solicitors offering top-tier representation in 25 fields of law, and ranked as top tier by the Chambers and Partners and the Legal 500 legal guides, and as one of the top 250 law firms in the country by the Times.