The Scottish Parliament will tonight express it's concern over the detention of children in Dungavel.

SNP MSP Sandra White will lead a debate on the issue, days after a Westminster Committee urged the detention of children to be used sparingly.

In November the SNP revealed figures showing the number of children detained by the UK Borders Agency included over 100 in Scotland between 2008 and 2009.

• between October 2008 and September 2009 103 children were detained at Dungavel in Scotland
• between July 2008 and July 2009 884 children were held at Yarls Wood in England
• between Sept 2008 and August 2009 328 children were held at Tinsley House
• 1315 children were detained in three detention centres across the UK in a 15 month period
• In the last 5 years 889 children from 488 families have been held for over 28 days - this requires ministers to personally approve continued detention.
• A record 212 children from 122 families were referred for detention beyond 28 days in 2008/09

Speaking ahead of the debate Glasgow MSP Ms White, whose region includes many asylum seekers said: "The detention of children in these centres is both shameful and immoral in a society which prides itself on justice, compassion and the protection of children's rights and whilst I welcome the efforts of all political parties in Scotland, who have spoken out against the practice, now is the time to put an end to it once and for all

"The Scottish Parliament has led the way in proposing alternative arrangements for these Asylum seeker families; however as immigration is a reserved matter it is up to the UK Government to ensure that the will of the Scottish Parliament is respected but unfortunately this hs not happened

"The pilot schemes running in Glasgow are a start but they are not enough.  As we have seen recently children are still being taken from across Scotland and detained at Dungavel.

"And let us be clear, let us understand what is happening to these children, detention and imprisonment of children is severely damaging to them, recent studies have shown that many children have fallen ill as a result of being imprisoned, a 5 month old baby had to admitted to hospital after falling ill and mothers have been unable to feed their new born babies due to stress and anxiety leading to alarming weight loss for their babies.

"Would we allow this to happen to our own children, would we be outraged, of course we would and we must give these children a voice. Let us not forget that many of these children have witnessed unimaginable horrors, the mutilation, rape and murder of their families and communities and that by locking them up many experience the re-emergence of these nightmarish images and must live through these terrible events night after night without the support they need and deserve.

"I can only imagine the dreadful effect this must have on these children and it fills me with sorrow and shame but also gives me renewed energy to continue battling to see the end of this barbaric practice."

Note:

S3M-5109 Sandra White: Detention of Children at Dungavel—
That the Parliament expresses serious concern over figures obtained from the UK Border Agency that show that, between October 2008 and September 2009, 103 children were detained at Dungavel in Scotland; notes that, in the last five years, 889 children from 488 families throughout the United Kingdom have been held for over 28 days, thus requiring UK ministers to personally approve continued detention; considers that these figures show that, despite the welcome commitment and efforts of the previous administration and the current Scottish Government to end the practice of the detention of children at Dungavel, children and families from Glasgow and throughout Scotland are still being subjected to this unacceptable practice, and would welcome further efforts from all political parties in Scotland to ensure that this practice is ended.