POOR support from the Prison Service has been blamed as a glaring weakness at a Kent jail responsible for holding foreign nationals.

The chief inspector of prisons Anne Owers said Canterbury Prison has not been receiving the support it needs in its new role of as one of only three prisons in the country that holds immigrants expected to be deported.

Said Canterbury Prison had provided a safe and decent environment for men who were facing considerable uncertainty and anxiety, but had received “very limited” support from national agencies with overall responsibility for the inmates, such as The Border and Immigration Agency (BIA).

In a statement issued to coincide with the publication of a report on the jail by HM Inspectorate of Prisons, she said: “Managers and staff at Canterbury have made some impressive efforts to fulfil their new, and initially unique, role of holding foreign national prisoners.”

She added: “(But) the Prison Service, lacking any national strategies or guidance for the care of foreign national prisoners, had been able to offer little support.

“The absence of clear standards and guidance for the care of foreign nationals is a weakness that is evident throughout the prison system, and one which needs to be addressed nationally.”

Last year’s prison inspection found the prison was behaving well overall, with high standards of care for those at risk from suicide, and good staff-prisoner relationships were good, although more cultural awareness training was needed.

But the report found also several weaknesses, including prisoners frustrated by poor communication over deportation and resettlement planning. The quality of prisoners’ work was also poor, and education did not meet prisoners’ needs.

Phil Wheatley, Prison Service director general, said some of the issues of concern at Canterbury had been addressed, such as BIA staff in the prison offering evening surgeries and a cultural awareness booklet being produced for staff.