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Call to end detention at Dungavel Call to end detention at Dungavel
(about 19 hours later)
The Scottish Government is calling on Westminster to end the detention of the children of asylum seekers at the Dungavel removal centre in Lanarkshire.The Scottish Government is calling on Westminster to end the detention of the children of asylum seekers at the Dungavel removal centre in Lanarkshire.
Education Secretary Fiona Hyslop is due to meet with Home Office minister, Liam Byrne, on Thursday. Education Secretary Fiona Hyslop met Home Office minister, Liam Byrne, on Thursday to discuss asylum issues.
She will set out the SNP administration's position on asylum, and push the case for an end to family detention and dawn raids. The SNP administration is opposed to family detention but responsibility for immigration lies with the government at Westminster.
Responsibility for immigration lies with the government at Westminster. Ms Hyslop said it had been a very "constructive and positive" meeting.
There are about 1,400 asylum-seeking families in Scotland, with most of them Glasgow-based. She has been invited on fact-finding mission to see how alternatives to locking up young asylum seekers are being developed south of the border.
The Dungavel detention centre housed 122 children in the first 11 months of 2006. Pilot projects
We will be pressing for alternatives being piloted in England to be extended north of the border Fiona Hyslop Education Secretary
Ms Hyslop will argue that alternatives to family detention, currently being piloted in England, should also be used in Scotland.
She said: "Asylum seekers must be treated fairly and humanely, particularly when children are involved.
"That's why the Scottish Government is opposed to the detention of children at Dungavel and why we will be pressing for alternatives being piloted in England to be extended north of the border."
Student support
The English pilots are being run in conjunction with non-government organisations.The English pilots are being run in conjunction with non-government organisations.
They work with families to help them plan for their return home without needing to detain them in immigration removal centres like Dungavel.They work with families to help them plan for their return home without needing to detain them in immigration removal centres like Dungavel.
As well as reducing the number of children going into such centres, the scheme is also aimed at increasing the number of families choosing to return home voluntarily. Ms Hyslop said: "The Minister of State committed to respond to our request to stop families and children being detained in Dungavel.
The recent changes which give asylum-seeking students the same support as Scottish students attending university are also likely to be on the agenda at the meeting. "I look forward to working with him and colleagues to end this practice."
Ms Hyslop announced earlier this year that children who have spent at least three years in Scottish schools will have the same access as Scottish youngsters to full-time and further education. There are about 1,400 asylum-seeking families in Scotland, with most of them Glasgow-based.
The Dungavel detention centre housed 122 children in the first 11 months of 2006.