Liberal Democrats fulfil policy to end child detention

Deputy Prime Minister and Liberal Democrat Leader, Nick Clegg, has confirmed that the Government will end child detention by May next year.

In Labour's last five years in office alone the Government locked up 7,075 children: an average of almost seven children a day locked up by Labour. Last year alone, 1,065 children were locked up by Labour, 173 of whom were locked up for longer than a month. The average time in detention between 2005 - 2010 was just under two weeks each (12.74 days).

This Government has already made substantial progress. Since the review of child detention was started (1 June 2010), 78 children have been detained. Over the same period last year the number was 594. The average length of detention was 3.9 days - compared to 14.9 last year.

Commenting on the announcement of the end of child detention, Co-Chair of the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Committee on Home Affairs and Justice, Tom Brake said:

"Today's announcement marks the fulfilment of an important Liberal Democrat policy. By the first anniversary of the Coalition Agreement not a single child will be detained for immigration purposes.

"Liberal Democrats have finally ended this shameful Labour legacy, who locked up more than 7,000 children in their last five years in office. Many of these children were locked up for more than a month.

"This Christmas, no child will be spending the holidays in a detention centre. This marks the start of this Government's overhaul of the immigration system to make it more family friendly, more humane and more effective."