THE SNP has backed calls to end the holding of pregnant women and children at the Dungavel detention centre.

The UK government gave a commitment to stop the detentions almost a decade ago but the SNP say at least 21 under 18s have been held at the centre in the last eight years and six pregnant women in the last three years.

At the SNP Conference in Aberdeen, delegates coted unanimously to back a resolution calling for it to be scrapped completely.

Linda Fabiani, East Kilbride MSP, said “Innocent families shouldn’t be held like this for months on end, especially almost a decade after the Home Office promised to end the practice of detaining children.
“This only goes to show the total disregard the Tory government shows towards
people those who want to come here, or have no other choice. With Boris Johnsonas Prime Minister, that’s only set to get worse.”

The resolution called for a states that Dungavel, in South Lanarkshire, is unsuitable for children and pregnant women.

“Ms Fabiani added We urgently a new direction when it comes to asylum and immigration policy –which prioritises the basic human values of fairness and compassion, ensures that detention is only used as a last resort, rather than routine, and imposes a limit on how long people can be detained.”