DISTURBANCES at Campsfield House Immigration Removal Centre could be reduced if detainees were given more to do, an independent body has claimed.

Campsfield’s Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) has just published its 2008 annual report on the controversial Kidlington centre, which has a history of escape attempts and violent incidents.

IMB chairman Lieutenant Colonel Freddie Cantrell said: “We believe that activities and education should be increased to fully occupy the detainees.

“There is nothing worse than boredom with a detainee who really doesn’t know what his future is going to be.

“This can cause stress, and stress can lead to trouble and disturbances.”

Lt Col Cantrell — one of 10 IMB volunteers who check on treatment of inmates at the centre — said detainees currently had 30 hours of formal education a week, including lessons in English, art and computing, which was insufficient.] He recommended the UK Border Agency review its contract for education provision at the centre, which holds up to 216 detainees.

The 61-page report also shed new light on two major incidents which occured within days of each other in June last year.

On June 16, friends of a Jamaican man who was due to be deported started fires in an education block, detainees’ rooms and in a fitness suite.

The education block was destroyed and a shop was looted.

Three days later, seven detainees escaped through a ground-floor window. Three of those who went on the run are still at large.

Referring to the escape, Lt Col Cantrell said: “Of course it shouldn’t happen.

“It means there is a weakness in the security. Of course that has been rectified.”

But he added: I don’t think any establishment in the world is completely secure.”

Other findings included a plan to put televisions in each detainee’s room within months, and the fact that paid work for inmates had doubled since the 2007 report was published.

The report said force was used by staff 34 times in 2008, up from 31 in 2007, but the occupancy was higher and as such there was a reduction in the proportion of incidents where force was used.

Handcuffs were used 11 times in 2008, the lowest level at the centre since 2005.

The IMB also recommended ensuring detainees’ property travelled with them when they were transferred from police custody to the centre, and reviewing the way racial complaints were investigated.

A UK Border Agency spokesman said detainees had access to a range of activities, and added the agency awaited recommendations from a review of education provision.

No-one at GEO Group UK Ltd, which runs the centre, was available for comment.