Yarl's Wood - Child Detention Facility WILL Close

There was some speculation in the national press recently which suggested that the Government was set to drop its pledge to close the child detention facility at Yarl's Wood Immigration Detention Centre in Clapham. I have always argued that locking up children for immigration purposes is an abominable practice, and as someone who was very pleased to see the Liberal Democrat pledge to close the Yarl's Wood Family Centre included in the Coalition Agreement, I was obviously disturbed by the suggestion that the Government may be rowing back on it. I am therefore delighted that Liberal Democrat Children's Minister has quashed the speculation and confirmed that child detention will be brought to an end by the government, and Yarl's Wood's family unit will close.

The government is currently working on arrangements to put in place when the unit is closed. I hope they do so swiftly and put an end to this affront to human decency located in our Borough as soon as possible.