UNTOLD NUMBER OF CHILDREN TO SPEND CHRISTMAS BEHIND BARBED WIRE

UNTOLD NUMBER OF CHILDREN TO SPEND CHRISTMAS BEHIND BARBED WIRE

UK BORDER AGENCY LOCK KIDS IN - AND SANTA OUT

ENDING CHILD DETENTIONS WITHIN LABOUR’S GIFT

The SNP has rounded on the UK Government over the detention of an untold
number of children in immigration removal centres over Christmas.

In a parliamentary answer to SNP Home Affairs spokesperson Pete Wishart
MP, the Home Office said it could make no “estimate of the number of
families expected to be detained in immigration removal centres during
Christmas 2009”. However, official UK Border Agency figures obtained by
the SNP show the UK Government detained 1315 children in three detention
centres across the UK over a 15 month period - over 100 of those in
Scotland.

In a separate parliamentary answer, the Home Office also failed to say
whether any special festive arrangements would be made for children
detained over the festive period – though a recent report revealed that an
Anglican church minister, dressed as Father Christmas and hoping to bring
some festive cheer for detained children, was refused access to Yarls Wood
removal centre amid angry scenes with security officials.

Commenting, Mr Wishart said:

“It is simply wrong to detain children at any time of year, but an untold
number face a bleak Christmas behind barbed wire because this Labour
government are unwilling to find alternatives.

“Detaining children in centres made for adults is immoral. Whatever the
position of the parents, there is no justification for keeping children
under lock and key.

“It doesn’t bear thinking about the sort of Christmas day these children
will experience. I was astonished that Border Agency security even barred
a church minister from delivering presents to one facility – it is like
some Dickensian tale.

“The Scottish Government’s success in bringing a pilot project to Glasgow
to keep families out of Dungavel is welcome – but it is within the UK
Government’s gift to end this practice and ensure detention alternatives
are used for all children.