16/03/2004

Scottish asylum centre to be expanded

Dungavel Removal Centre in Scotland is to be expanded with the building of a new 43-bed unit for single adult males, the Home Office announced today.

The move is part of government plans to increase the number of detention spaces in order to create a "more efficient asylum system" and increase the proportion of failed asylum seekers and other immigration offenders removed.

Dungavel currently has capacity for housing around 150 detainees, including some families, and the new unit for single males is due to be completed in August 2004.

The number of detention places will be expanded to more than 2,700 overall by the end of the year. Colnbrook Removal Centre, near Heathrow, is due to open in August 2004 and will house around 330 single males. Work is also ongoing to refurbish Harmondsworth and Yarl's Wood and the Home Office also plans to expand Campsfield House, near Oxford.

Home Secretary David Blunkett said: "Increasing the amount of space in the detention estate is an important part of our strategy to remove those people who have no right to be here.

"This new unit at Dungavel will be used to house single males only and, together with plans for increases at other sites and a new centre near Heathrow, will help to expand our overall detention capacity.

"Removal centres are an integral part of our balanced approach to immigration by helping us cut abuse of the asylum system and ensure an efficient end-to-end process."

(gmcg)

Related UK National News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

12 May 2004
Expanded UK Film Centre promotes UK industry at Cannes
The UK Film Centre, which promotes the UK film industry in the international marketplace, will be providing an expanded range of business services in its second year of operation at the world’s biggest film festival.
12 February 2004
easyJet confirms seven new routes to expanded Europe
As part an expansion programme, low-budget airline easyJet have announced seven new routes, three of which are completely new European destinations. The routes announced today by easyJet are: London Stansted to Basel and Ljubljana International; London Luton to Budapest International; London Gatwick to Naples, Ibiza, Faro and Prague.
05 January 2015
Babies To Be Tested For Rare Conditions
All babies born in England from today, 5 January, will be offered screening for more rare conditions, according to Public Health England (PHE). The screening is to prevent premature disability and death.
29 April 2005
Wetherspoon to make all pubs non-smoking
Pub chain J D Wetherspoon has reported a 2% drop in third quarter sales and noted a slight decrease in beer sales purchases in its non-smoking pubs. However, Wetherspoon said trading at non-smoking pubs had been in line with its expectations, and although food sales had increased, the company said these pubs had experienced some margin pressure.
18 November 2003
Drug addict treatment programme expanded
A scheme to get drug-using criminals into treatment and away from the cycle of crime and drug addiction is being expanded to 36 new areas, the government announced today.