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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Group wants asylum seeker stories | Group wants asylum seeker stories |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| A panel of experts including peers, a former judge and a bishop have been hearing first-hand accounts of dawn raids on asylum seekers. | A panel of experts including peers, a former judge and a bishop have been hearing first-hand accounts of dawn raids on asylum seekers. |
| The Independent Asylum Commission plans to visit seven venues in the UK on its fact-finding mission. | The Independent Asylum Commission plans to visit seven venues in the UK on its fact-finding mission. |
| The commission wants views from as wide a group as possible in order to make recommendations for change to those who run the asylum system. | The commission wants views from as wide a group as possible in order to make recommendations for change to those who run the asylum system. |
| The trade union Unison told the hearing it believes dawn raids are illegal. | |
| The body has insisted it is completely independent of both government and the refugee sector, as it is funded entirely by charitable trusts. | The body has insisted it is completely independent of both government and the refugee sector, as it is funded entirely by charitable trusts. |
| The current system does fail children Sally DaghlianScottish Refugee Council | The current system does fail children Sally DaghlianScottish Refugee Council |
| The Glasgow hearing is the fourth of seven across the UK. | The Glasgow hearing is the fourth of seven across the UK. |
| It has been taking testimonies from local people, pressure groups and statutory organisations who are concerned about the removal of refused asylum seekers. | It has been taking testimonies from local people, pressure groups and statutory organisations who are concerned about the removal of refused asylum seekers. |
| The government has insisted the raids are necessary to prevent failed asylum seekers from absconding. | The government has insisted the raids are necessary to prevent failed asylum seekers from absconding. |
| 'Contentious issues' | 'Contentious issues' |
| However, Sally Daghlian, chief executive of the Scottish Refugee Council, said: "The new borders and immigration authority should concentrate on a new way of addressing removals. | However, Sally Daghlian, chief executive of the Scottish Refugee Council, said: "The new borders and immigration authority should concentrate on a new way of addressing removals. |
| "Removals are an integral part of any asylum system. People should only be returned if they have had a fair and thorough assessment of their claims. | "Removals are an integral part of any asylum system. People should only be returned if they have had a fair and thorough assessment of their claims. |
| "The current system does fail children. The UK is the only country in Europe to detain children." | "The current system does fail children. The UK is the only country in Europe to detain children." |
| Jonathan Cox, co-ordinator of the commission, said: "Though asylum is one of the most contentious issues of our day, everyone we have met can agree on one thing - the system is not working." | Jonathan Cox, co-ordinator of the commission, said: "Though asylum is one of the most contentious issues of our day, everyone we have met can agree on one thing - the system is not working." |
| 'Further pressure' | |
| The public service union Unison gave evidence at the hearing in Glasgow. | |
| Their representatives claimed that the immigration services policy to remove failed asylum seekers breached the Children (Scotland) Act. | |
| Kate Ramsden from Unison's scottish social work issues group, said: "It is only immigration and asylum legislation that allows these children to be treated in a way that does not recognise their welfare or their rights." | |
| John Stevenson, the union's Scottish communications chair, said: "Whilst Unison members will not collude with a deportation process that is inhumane, we can and should be providing a service to asylum seeker families. | |
| "In particular we need to put further pressure on the Home Office to implement the decision they signed up to last year to allow a lead professional to be attached to asylum seeker families where children are involved. | |
| "These children have already suffered very damaging experiences and may already be severely psychologically scarred. They certainly do not need the additional trauma of dawn raids and detention." | |
| Glasgow is home to about 6,000 asylum seekers. |