Dungavel House Immigration Removal Centre

The motion

That the Parliament deplores the detention in Dungavel House Immigration Removal Centre of the Tinichigui family, comprising Ionel who is 15-years old, Roxana who is 16, Mirela who is 17 and Marius who is 18, who are Roma Gypsies from Romania who have lived in Britain with their parents for seven years having fled persecution and who were taken into custody whilst attempting to board a ferry from Campbeltown; is appalled that Roxana’s son, Michael, who is 18-months old, has been separated from his mother who has not been told of his whereabouts or had contact with her son who was taken away by Argyll and Bute Council social services department and who is believed to be in temporary foster care; expresses concern that the Home Office now appears to be operating a policy of splitting children up from their parents whilst, at the same time, detaining asylum seekers who themselves are children; believes that there is no place in 21st century Scotland for the continued operation of a former prison as a place where people who have committed no crime are incarcerated; considers that the Scottish Executive should meet with the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations to discuss its proposals for alternatives to detention and should also meet with the Commissioner for Children and Young People, Positive Action In Housing and other interested bodies to discuss the wider issues of the treatment of asylum seekers in Scotland, particularly since devolved public services are clearly involved, and believes that the Executive should seek urgent talks with Her Majesty’s Government to discuss the Tinichigui family’s plight, including demanding the closure of Dungavel, requesting that asylum decisions are taken based on the premise that most people are not fleeing their homeland without good reason, finding alternatives to detention, such as supported community accommodation for asylum seekers, and reminding the Home Office of the Executive’s Fresh Talent initiative embarked upon due to the need to reverse population decline in Scotland.



No recorded vote on this motion. Most motions are never debated, and many that are debated are agreed without a division. Vote records are published from 2011.

SSP 2 LD 1 SNP 1

Party shown is each supporter’s party when the motion was published.

No contribution in the Official Report cites S2M-01856 by reference.