DETENTION OF CHILDREN

Early day motion 1982, tabled 12 October 2009 by Chris Mullin (Labour). Signed by 94 members.

That this House notes with concern that around 2,000 children are detained each year in immigration detention centres, some for periods of several months; notes the opinion of Save the Children and the Children's Commissioner that this is unjustified and damaging; notes that families with children are among the least likely to abscond; further notes that some EU and Commonwealth countries have successfully introduced solutions other than secure detention for families who have exhausted their asylum claims; and urgently calls on the Government to end the practice of holding children in immigration detention centres.

Signatures by party: Labour 58, Liberal Democrat 25, Scottish National Party 3, Conservative 2, Social Democratic and Labour Party 2, Independent 1, Independent Labour 1, Respect 1, UUP 1.