HC Deb 11 September 2003 vol 410 c420W
Mr. Connarty

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children of asylum seekers were being held in custody at each removal centre on 1 July 2003; and if he intends to end the practice. [124066]

Beverley Hughes

The latest published information on the number of children of asylum seekers held in removal centres is for 2 April 2003.

At this date an exercise was carried out to access the number of children under the age of 18 who were detained in Dungavel, Harmondsworth, Oakington and Tinsley House Immigration Service Removal Centres. These centres are the only ones that deal with family cases. The results of the exercise are contained in the following table.

Immigration service

removal center

Children under 18 years of age

in detention at 2 April 2003

Dungavel 21
Harmondsworth 18
Oakington 14
Tinsley 3
Total 56

Children under 18 years are detained only in two limited circumstances: first, as part of a family group whose detention is considered appropriate; second, when unaccompanied, while alternative care arrangements are made and normally just overnight.

While the detention of families with children is very regrettable, it nevertheless remains necessary in appropriate cases in order to maintain an effective immigration control and to tackle abuses of the asylum system.