Concern voiced over detention centre

Movement was "severely restricted" at Dungavel

A damning report has called for changes in the treatment of those being held at an immigration detention centre in Scotland.

A group of MSPs who visited the Dungavel facility last week have outlined 10 areas of concern.

The report said there was "no justification" for holding children at the centre, near Strathaven in Lanarkshire.

Shona Robison was the report's author

It also voiced concerns over the length of time that people were being held and the way that some detainees had been brought to Dungavel.

And the report, which was written by the Scottish National Party's Shona Robison, recommends that the centre should become accountable to the chief inspector of prisons in Scotland.

Ms Robison is the convener of the group which carried out the fact-finding mission, accompanied by representatives from churches, Amnesty International and the Refugee Council.

Ms Robison told BBC Radio Scotland: "We are against detention centres in principle, but if the government presses on with their existence then we believe there are major areas where they could be improved."

This included the abolition of the practice of holding children at Dungavel, where there is no play area and only "limited" access to education.

Dungavel is not an appropriate place for families

MSPs' report

The report calls for families with children to be housed within the community while their asylum applications are dealt with.

The parents could be asked to report to local police on a regular basis if there are fears that they could flee.

"The risk of absconding does not outweigh the damage of being denied their freedom," said the report.

"Dungavel is not an appropriate place for families."

There are currently 34 people in the family unit at the centre, of whom 16 are children.

Risk of absconding

The report said that the length of time some detainees have been held for "can only have a detrimental impact" on their mental health.

Other concerns included the way in which some refugees were moved to Dungavel.

"Detention centres are supposed to be restricted for use by those who are right at the end of the appeal/review process or for whom there was a risk of absconding.

"However, a number of detainees to whom we spoke during our visit told us they had resided in the community for months, sometimes even years, before suddenly being detained without explanation," said the report.

Angela Eagle denied there was a hunger strike

There was also disquiet over the practice of moving people at night with little prior warning.

"One woman told us how, when she was moved, she was not told where she was going to or whether or not her husband would be joining her," said the report.

"When she was shifted, together with her husband in the same vehicle, they were kept in separate cages.

"This seems an unnecessary and cruel way to treat asylum seekers."

The report also called for the adoption of "a more pro-active position" when it comes to informing asylum seekers about the progress of their applications.

Lack of accountability

The MSPs said the centre was run "along similar lines to a prison", with movement about the building "severely restricted".

Ms Robison said the group also had concerns about the lack of accountability by Premier Prisons, the private company which operates the centre.

She said Dungavel should come under the remit of the chief inspector of prisons in Scotland, arguing that such a move would help to allay public fears.

Scotland Office Minister George Foulkes has also paid a visit to Dungavel, saying later that he was entirely satisfied with the operation of the unit.

The MSPs' visit was prompted by claims of a hunger strike among a number of detainees.

'Completely unfounded'

However, the Home Office denied on Friday that a hunger strike had taken place.

Junior Home Office Minister Angela Eagle said reports that 40 men at Dungavel had gone on hunger strike were "completely unfounded".

In a Commons written response, Ms Eagle said on 9 April that a number detainees had staged a "non-compliance day" where they refused to get out of bed, take part in education or sports activities and refused to eat in the centre's dining hall.

But she said "they did continue to buy food from the centre's shop".