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'Sex assault claims' at Serco immigration centre

Private outsourcing firm Serco has been forced to disclose an internal report on sexual abuse claims at a women's immigration detention centre it runs following a four-month legal battle with the Guardian, the newspaper has reported.

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Labour call for inquiry after 'shocking' Serco allegations

Yvette Cooper, Labour’s Shadow Home Secretary, asked the Government to instigate a joint inquiry of Serco operations following claims in the Guardian that abuse had not been taken seriously at the Yarl's Wood Immigration removal centre.

These are shocking allegations of a despicable nature.

We asked the Government to instigate a joint inquiry of Serco operations by the prisons and borders inspectors over 2 months ago. That action is now unavoidable and the Government must accept our case and hold that inquiry.

The Home Secretary has refused access to Yarl's Wood by international inspectors from the UN and has so far refused to properly investigate a series of allegations at Yarl's Wood. That isn't right.

Immigration rules must be enforced, but they must be enforced in a humane way that upholds the values of our society. These allegations raise serious concerns that our system is failing to uphold those values.

– Yvette Cooper MP

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