Hackney MP praises government action to end detention of children in asylum centres

Diane Abbott MP: "We must not forget the thousands of people who will still remain in detention and will spend their Christmas separated from their families."

Diane Abbott, MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, has praised the coalition government’s decision to stop the detention of children in British immigration centres.

Last week the government announced that the children of adults seeking asylum can no longer be detained, unless only 72 hours remain before deportation and all possible appeal procedures have been exhausted.

‘Family-friendly’ accommodation in detention centres is to be closed, including the one at Yarl’s Wood immigration removal centre.

An end to child detention was one of the pledges made by the Liberal Democrat /Conservative coalition earlier this year, and was a Liberal Democrat manifesto commitment.

Ms Abbott welcomed the decision, but has advocated a review of detention altogether given the tragedy at Christmas Island earlier this week. The incident saw as many as 48 asylum seekers killed when their boat, thought to be taking them to Australia, was shipwrecked.

She said: “The tragedy at Christmas Island should serve as a reminder to us all of the desperation of immigrants striving for a better life, and how important it is that they are treated respect and human dignity,” she added.

Ms Abbott has visited detention centres Oakington and Yarl’s Wood and has rasied the issue of children in detention House of Commons’ debates. Last month she expressed her dismay at the coalition government’s decision to delay the closure of family wings until March 2011.

She said: “I wholeheartedly welcome the coalition’s decision to end the detention of children from today instead of putting off the decision until March next year. This is something I have long called for in the House and it is a great comfort to me to know that no children will spend Christmas in a detention centre.”

“But we must not forget the thousands of people who will still remain in detention and will spend their Christmas separated from their families.”

Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate Dave Raval criticised Meg Hillier over the detention of children at Yarl's Wood

During this year’s general election campaign, Dave Raval, the Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for Hackney South and Shoreditch pressured Meg Hillier MP, who was then Parliamentary Undersecretary of State at the Home Office, to oppose the detention of children of immigrants.

Dave Raval, said: “It is right to send back asylum seekers whose claims have been rejected, but it was wrong to lock up their children in prison, often for weeks, before making a final decision.”

“I campaigned hard to stop this practice. As the junior partner in the coalition [government] we haven’t been able to fulfill all of our manifesto commitments but this is one important reform we have been able to carry out.”

“Deporting families with children is a difficult and delicate operation. We now have to ensure that child detention never creeps back into use.”