Dungavel apparently set to close
20 September 2017
Dungavel, the immigration detention centre near Strathaven, is set to close after operating since 2001. The Home Office says it will be replaced by a short term holding unit near Glasgow Airport, with ministers claiming people will be held for less than a week and that removals will happen with less delay.
Positive Action in Housing has warned that the change risks speeding up deportations while making it harder for people to access urgent legal help. Robina Qureshi, director of Positive Action in Housing, said Dungavel has been a scar on Scottish soil, leaving deep harm in its wake. She also raised concerns that a holding unit at the airport would make it easier to move people quickly towards London departure points, while shrinking the time and space needed for lawyers and support networks to organise last minute appeals.
Qureshi stressed that “short term” does not mean humane, and that any system built around rapid removal must be judged by its impact on real people, not by ministerial headlines. Positive Action in Housing is calling for safeguards that protect access to legal representation, preserve contact with family and community support, and prevent sudden transfers that cut people off from Scottish solicitors.
The organisation also points to the broader human cost of detention. Qureshi said detention has contributed to severe mental distress, including suicides among asylum seekers, and that Scotland must not accept a rebranded version of the same cruelty.
Positive Action in Housing is urging the UK Government and the Scottish Government to publish clear guarantees on treatment, access to advice, and appeal rights for Scotland based asylum seekers. The group’s position is simple: closing Dungavel only matters if what replaces it ends harm rather than accelerating it. Any new facility must be measured against dignity, due process, and the right to be heard before removal.