Detention facility Yarl's Wood is replacing staff with "self-service kiosks" in an attempt to cut £42 million of costs.
The centre, which is used to house women and child immigrants prior to deportation from the UK, must "make savings across its contract to meet the government's requirement to reduce spending," the Home Office said. The bulk of these savings will come from the replacement of staff with kiosks, though the government hasn't said when they will be introduced.
The cost-cutting measures have been outlined in a report from the National Audit Office (NAO).
Around 19 per cent of staff will be replaced by kiosks, according to the report. The kiosks will allow residents to book visiting hours, order food and send emails, faxes and post. They will also be programmed in the languages most commonly spoken by residents of the centre and are intended to help immigrants "take greater responsibility for their daily routine", according to the Home Office.
The decision to introduce the kiosks permanently was made after two "full resident surveys" in 2015 and 2016. At the time, Kiosks were set up around the centre and residents were asked to complete surveys on them in exchange for a "small financial reward".
The biometric kiosks are large electronic computer terminals placed in the corridors and main living areas of each unit at Yarl's Wood. The kiosks can identify individuals via fingerprint or voice to bring up unique files and services.
Yarl's Wood has subject to consistent allegations of abuse and rape from previous and current detainees. Earlier this year, residents in the centre unfurled a banner that claimed that guards were involved in relationships with "vulnerable detainees".
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
