Summary:

This paper is supported by the No Place for a Child Coalition.

http://www.crin.org/docs/mp_det.pdf

MPs have accused the Home Office of contravening a series of national and international legal guidelines and failing to protect children detained in the UK as part of the immigration process.

A report launched today by John Bercow MP, Lord Dubs and Evan Harris MP -

• condemns the increased use of detention over the last five years so that now as many as 2000 children are detained every year.
• details the the destructive effects of detention on children.
• highlights that the detention of children is contrary to international standards for the treatment of children set by the UN.
  

Lord Dubs said: "Parent and children have been arrested without warning, often dragged from their beds in shocking dawn raids, to be held in detention for an undetermined period of time. This report shows that other countries have used workable alternatives, and that these principles could be applied in the UK."

137 MPs representing the major political parties have signed a motion condemning the negative impact of detention on children and calling for alternatives to detention, that have been successfully tested in other countries. to be piloted.

The report is supported by the No Place for a Child Campaign of which Save the Children is a leading member. Colette Marshall, UK Director of Save the Children, said: “John Reid cannot defend a policy that has such a damaging effect on children when viable alternatives exist. These children have done nothing wrong; the Home Office cannot justify locking them up.”

John Bercow MP, co-author of the report, said: "A lot of Home Office effort and taxpayers' money is wasted locking away vulnerable families. It is time for a fairer and more efficient approach to be introduced."

Last updated 12/07/2006 12:45:10