by Graham Tutthill

The problem of failed asylum seekers being held at Dover Immigration Removal Centre for long periods has not been resolved, according to independent monitors.

Members of the Independent Monitoring Board highlighted the situation in their 2008 report on the centre, at Dover's Western Heights.

They found there were removal delays in a number of complex cases where repeated attempts to remove detainees had led to "unacceptably long periods of detention".

In their latest report, they say the average length of stay of some detainees fell marginally, but that of ex foreign national prisoners rose sharply in 2009.

"Many complex cases continued to prove especially difficult to resolve, a factor instrumental in raising the average stay of this group to its highest level," said board chairman John Roper.

The report also highlighted the continued evidence of drugs within the centre, with the number of related incidents in 2009 being on a par with 2008.

On the positive side, the monitors said fewer detainees needed to be separated for acts of indiscipline during 2009.

The Chief Executive of the Refugee Council backed the report.

Donna Covey said today: "This timely report from the Independent Monitoring Board provides more worrying evidence that detaining people for immigration purposes is being overused.

"Whilst we welcome any improvements that have been made to conditions at Dover Immigration Centre, detaining people there for longer than 12 months is unacceptable and costly.

"Recent Home Office figures show that in the last three months, 37 per cent of immigration detainees were released back into the community and therefore should not have been detained in the first place.

"If detention is used, it must be only where absolutely necessary and for the shortest time possible.

"We are really encouraged that the government has already promised to end child detention and would urge them to build on this welcome commitment and ensure that the use of detention for adults is kept to an absolute minimum."