To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) women and (b) children have been detained in Yarl’s Wood Detention Centre for (i) up to six months, (ii) between six and 12 months, (iii) between 12 to 18 months and (iv) longer than 18 months; and if he will make a statement. [144850]

Mr. Byrne: The Home Office publishes a quarterly snapshot of people detained solely under Immigration Act powers on the last Saturday of each quarter. The latest published information pertains to people detained as at 31 March 2007.

The accompanying table shows the number of women and children detained solely under Immigration Act powers in Yarl’s Wood Immigration Removal Centre as at 31 March 2007 by length of detention.

Information on the number of persons detained solely under Immigration Act powers is published in the Quarterly Asylum Bulletins, on the Home Office’s Research, Development and Statistics website at: