Assurances that no child will be held at the Dungavel detention centre have been demanded by politicians following the announcement of a new pilot programme.
Assurances that no child will be held at the Dungavel detention centre have been demanded by politicians following the announcement of a new pilot programme.
Yesterday, The Herald revealed that Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy is to establish a pilot scheme in Glasgow where four asylum-seeking families will be housed in former council-owned homes before they are deported.
With a degree of supervision and monitoring from various agencies, the families will have freedom to leave the house and access to private washing and cooking facilities.
While it was agreed by many that it was a positive step, calls were also made for assurances that no child would be held in a detention centre.
Kathleen Marshall, Scottish Children's Commissioner, said that was overdue.
She said: "This pilot scheme comes not a moment too soon. Detention can cause lasting damage to the health and wellbeing of children and families. That's why I have consistently pressed for alternatives measures.
"Regardless of their immigration status, children must be treated as children first and foremost.
"Today's announcement brings Scotland and the UK one step closer to recognising and upholding children's rights. I look forward to closely monitoring the progress of the scheme."
Dungavel, which opened in 2001 in South Lanarkshire, has been controversial since it was revealed families with children were detained there behind barbed wire, attracting the condemnation of politicians and campaign groups.
Christina McKelvie, SNP MSP for Central Scotland, said the Westminster Government must guarantee that no children would be held in Dungavel.
"Any moves that lead to the end of detaining children at Dungavel are to be welcomed, but questions still remain about whether this will mean that no child at all will be held at Dungavel," she said.
"After a 17-year opt-out, the UK Government has recently signed the UN's Convention on the Rights of the Child.
"Surely this long overdue decision from the UK Government must mean that Dungavel will no longer be used to imprison innocent children beside potentially dangerous adults."
The Conservatives' justice spokesman said no-one wanted to see children in a detention centre.
Bill Aitken MSP, said: "I think that most of us have been uncomfortable with the Dungavel situation for some time.
"It has to be said that the responsibility for young children being detained there rests upon the shoulders of those who brought them here illegally in the first place. However, I don't think anyone can be happy with the situation.
"Clearly there is a risk of people absconding, but bearing in mind the general shambles of the Labour government asylum policy, the increased risk is probably not that great."
Liberal Democrats echoed the SNP's concerns about future detention of children.
Alistair Carmichael MP said: "People in Scotland have found the notion of children being locked up because their parents are failed asylum seekers deeply offensive.
"We have had warm words from Scotland Office ministers in the past on this issue, and they have failed to deliver.
"We should therefore wait and judge Jim Murphy on his achievements rather than his announcements."
Richard Baker, Scottish Labour's justice spokesman, praised the move by the new Scottish Secretary.
He said: "The action being taken by Jim Murphy in introducing this pilot is absolutely right. I look forward to the scheme's commencement and congratulate the leadership being shown not just by the Secretary of State for Scotland but also Steven Purcell and Glasgow City Council."
