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Bid to stop detention of children | Bid to stop detention of children |
(about 4 hours later) | |
A £150,000 pilot project aimed at ending the detention of children at Dungavel is to be launched. | A £150,000 pilot project aimed at ending the detention of children at Dungavel is to be launched. |
Failed asylum seekers awaiting deportation will be housed in former council flats in Glasgow before they return to their own countries. | |
The scheme is designed to end youngsters' incarceration at the Lanarkshire centre. | The scheme is designed to end youngsters' incarceration at the Lanarkshire centre. |
The pilot follows talks between Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy and the UK Borders and Immigration Agency. | The pilot follows talks between Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy and the UK Borders and Immigration Agency. |
Families living in the flats will have access to basic amenities including a washing machine, fridge and furniture until they are repatriated. | Families living in the flats will have access to basic amenities including a washing machine, fridge and furniture until they are repatriated. |
Mr Murphy told BBC Scotland: "The truth is no politician of any party likes seeing families put behind a barbed wire. | |
"I want to see if we can do something sensible, but also sensitive, that looks after the children." | "I want to see if we can do something sensible, but also sensitive, that looks after the children." |
The Scottish secretary said families would be vetted before being placed in the flats in order to assess the risk of them absconding. | The Scottish secretary said families would be vetted before being placed in the flats in order to assess the risk of them absconding. |
If it is done properly it could become a blueprint and could be rolled out across the UK Aideen McLaughlin Scottish Refugee Council He added: "This is a trial based on concerns raised, in particular by the churches in Scotland. We are going to work together to see if there is a better way of doing this." | |
The pilot project is due to begin at the start of next year. | The pilot project is due to begin at the start of next year. |
Dungavel has been a constant target of criticism from politicians, pro-asylum activists and church leaders since it opened in 2001. | Dungavel has been a constant target of criticism from politicians, pro-asylum activists and church leaders since it opened in 2001. |
Among those who have campaigned against the detention of children at Dungavel is the Scottish Refugee Council. | |
Spokeswoman Aideen McLaughlin said: "We have been lobbying for an alternative to detention for many years. | |
"We are very pleased that the new secretary of state for Scotland is supporting this but the details as to how it will actually work still have to be hammered out." | |
She added: "For this to be a success it has to be evaluated and assessed. If it is done properly it could become a blueprint and could be rolled out across the UK. | |
"But it has to be a true alternative, not just used in addition to the detention of children and young people." |