Silence over prison report

Dungavel was closed earlier this year

The sale of a closed prison has been described as "commercially sensitive" after a report that it is to become Scotland's first immigration detention centre.

The Scottish Prison Service has refused to comment further on the report.

It has confirmed that a number of bids have been received for Dungavel Prison in Lanarkshire, which has been on the market since June.

The former category C jail can hold 135 inmates.

Dungavel was closed as part of £13m cutbacks by the Scottish Executive to fund the new Drug Enforcement Agency.

Dr Norman Godman: Wants dedicated centre

In certain cases, asylum seekers are currently held in Greenock Prison until a decision is made on their application.

The report, in The Herald newspaper, said that Home Office immigration officials were considering Dungavel in an attempt to meet the increasing demand on detention centre places throughout the UK.

Home Office Minister Barbara Roche is said to have conceded the case for a separate dedicated centre in Scotland.

She is reported to have revealed the Home Office's intentions in response to pressure from Greenock and Inverclyde MP Dr Norman Godman.

Dr Godman has campaigned for years against detainees "being incarcerated in prison".

The Scottish Executive has been severely criticised over the closure of Dungavel, near Strathaven, Penninghame Open Prison, in Newton Stewart and Longriggend Remand Institution.