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Detaining children of failed asylum seekers to end Detaining children of failed asylum seekers to end
(about 1 hour later)
The detention of the children of failed asylum seekers will end by next May, the government is to announce. The detention of the children of failed asylum seekers will end by next May, the government has announced.
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg is to make an announcement about the proposal on Thursday.
The move was a key part of the Liberal Democrat manifesto and formed part of the post-election coalition agreement.
Parents awaiting forced deportation would still be held in secure houses, but their children would be assigned minders so they can move around freely.Parents awaiting forced deportation would still be held in secure houses, but their children would be assigned minders so they can move around freely.
Question raised Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said it would mean the UK had one of the "most child-friendly" immigration systems in the world.
The family section of the Yarl's Wood detention centre in Bedfordshire will be closed and the practice of children being held will end by next May, the government said. The move was a Liberal Democrat manifesto commitment.
Labour's John McDonnell, MP for Hayes and Harlington, raised the issue on Wednesday at Prime Minister's Questions. The Lib Dems and the Conservatives agreed to implement it as part of the post-election coalition agreement. Prime Minister David Cameron described the practice as a "scandal".
Mr McDonnell asked David Cameron: "According to the latest statistics, over the last year, on 665 occasions, children of asylum seekers were placed in detention centres. As part of the changes, the family section of the Yarl's Wood detention centre in Bedfordshire will be closed immediately.
"It means that this Christmas it is highly likely that there will be children in our detention centres. Mr Clegg said the decision to no longer detain children in the immigration system "spoke for itself" and marked a "big cultural shift".
"Could I ask you, and this is not a party political point, on behalf of the whole House to give this commitment - that by next Christmas there will be no children in detention centres and there never will be again?" "The change prioritises doing the right thing over looking and sounding tough," he said. "Reforms which will give the UK one of the most child-friendly immigration systems in the developed world."
Mr Cameron replied: "You make an important point and we made a commitment in our coalition agreement to address this issue. 'Very damaging'
"The deputy prime minister will be making a statement tomorrow (Thursday) about how we are going to end this scandal." Campaigners have long urged an end to holding children in detention centres - used to hold those who might abscond before they can be deported.
The detention centres are used to hold those who might abscond before they can be deported. They say there have been 665 cases of children of asylum seekers being detained in the past year.
'Prison environment'
BBC home affairs correspondent Tom Symonds says the government hopes a softer approach will encourage asylum seekers not to fight their deportation.BBC home affairs correspondent Tom Symonds says the government hopes a softer approach will encourage asylum seekers not to fight their deportation.
But it is understood the change may lengthen the process and have an impact on the numbers deported.But it is understood the change may lengthen the process and have an impact on the numbers deported.
Martin Narey, chief executive of Barnardo's, told the BBC that detaining children in Yarl's Wood was "very, very damaging", but "not because staff there are monsters or because it's run badly".Martin Narey, chief executive of Barnardo's, told the BBC that detaining children in Yarl's Wood was "very, very damaging", but "not because staff there are monsters or because it's run badly".
"Locking away children who haven't done anything wrong at all - and some of these are very, very young children indeed - putting them in essentially a prison environment with barbed wire, bars and locks is not something we should do.""Locking away children who haven't done anything wrong at all - and some of these are very, very young children indeed - putting them in essentially a prison environment with barbed wire, bars and locks is not something we should do."
Asked whether more families would abscond as a result of the relaxation, he said: "I'm not at all convinced there will be more, but if there were a few more it would be a good price to pay.Asked whether more families would abscond as a result of the relaxation, he said: "I'm not at all convinced there will be more, but if there were a few more it would be a good price to pay.
"It's not just about families. This is a significant day for the UK's reputation as a country that will treat people with compassion.""It's not just about families. This is a significant day for the UK's reputation as a country that will treat people with compassion."