UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – 29 Manston centre staff were sacked over drug use in 2024, a sharp increase from the previous year, raising concerns over detainee welfare and site oversight.
As reported by The Guardian, the Manston migrant centre found that 29 staff members were dismissed after testing positive for drug use – a sixfold increase.
Near Ramsgate in Kent, thousands of people who cross the Channel in flimsy boats are received by Home Office workers and contractors. A significant number arrive in deep distress and physical vulnerability.
What new data reveals about drug use among Manston staff?
New data from the Freedom of Information Act shows a big increase in drug-related dismissals. In 2024, 29 staff members were fired after testing positive for drugs like cannabis and cocaine. This is a sharp rise compared to 2023 when fewer than five staff were dismissed.
The latest Freedom of Information data shows that more than 2,000 Home Office staff, contractors, and sub-contractors work on-site each year. The exact number of detention custody officers, who oversee new arrivals, remains unspecified. Estimates suggest that several hundred staff members are on-site during each shift.
Staff at the Manston site who test positive for illegal substances are suspended while a disciplinary process is underway. Those affected have the right to appeal the decision and may also request independent verification of the drug test sample.
According to Home Office sources, drug testing at the site is both random and intelligence-based, conducted to protect vulnerable people on-site. Those who test positive face dismissal and the loss of their accreditation as detention custody officers.
What did Andy Baxter say about drug use at Manston?
Andy Baxter, the assistant general secretary of the Prison Officers’ Association, the trade union representing workers at Manston, stated,
“The POA can never condone drug-taking in the workplace. However, we would urge the employer to offer suitable occupational support to people found to be using drugs.”
What did Emma Ginn say about drug use among staff at Manston?
Emma Ginn, the director of the charity Medical Justice, stated,
“Medical Justice is alarmed by the apparent high rate of illicit drug use by staff responsible for the safety and wellbeing of people who, having been detained after a perilous journey to the UK, are in a vulnerable situation and need sensitive care.”
What happened at Manston in the previous drug controversy?
Manston, a short-term detention facility, has previously faced a drug controversy. This is not the first incident of its kind. Since November 2022, it was reported that some guards at Manston were sacked following drug-related complaints. Asylum seekers claimed that staff tried to sell them drugs, while some staff also complained about colleagues using drugs while on duty.
At the time, the Home Office stated,
“The individuals involved in this incident were swiftly removed from the site and we will continue to take robust action against those whose behaviour falls beneath those high standards.”
What did the Home Office say about recent figures and incidents at Manston?
A Home Office spokesperson stated,
“We have a zero-tolerance approach to illegal drug use found on testing. By introducing more robust procedures and increasing testing, we are demonstrating our commitment to ensuring the care of those transiting through Manston is maintained.”
Last month, Home Office sources said a man tried to take his own life at Manston. Such incidents are rare, as new arrivals usually stay at the facility for just a few hours.
Referring to this incident the Home Office spokesperson stated,
“Our duty of care towards people detained at Manston and across our entire immigration estate is of the utmost importance.”
Manston controversies 2022
- Overcrowding in the latter half of 2022, with the site, meant for 1,600 asylum seekers, housing over 4,000 in unsanitary conditions.
- Widespread outbreaks of diphtheria and scabies among detainees.
- The death of one individual due to a diphtheria infection.
- An independent inquiry has been launched to investigate the events during that period.