Response to child detention ruling
High Court rules that Government's policy on child detention for immigration purposes is not unlawful, but was wrongly applied in two cases.
Reetha Suppiah, 37, and Sakinat Bello, 25, were detained in Yarl鈥檚 Wood immigration removal centre with their children after their claims for asylum were rejected by the .
Hearing their cases in the High Court in London, Mr Justice Wyn Williams ruled the policy of child detention itself was not unlawful, but in these instances had been applied in an unlawful way.
Family unit now closed
The two families were detained prior to the coalition government鈥檚 decision to close the family unit at Yarl鈥檚 Wood.
This forms part of its commitment to end the detention of children, announced in December.
UK Border Agency statement
David Wood strategic director for criminality and detention said: 鈥業n December the government announced the immediate closure of Yarl鈥檚 Wood to children.
鈥楾he government said it would end the detention of children for immigration purposes and that鈥檚 been done.
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鈥楬owever, we are disappointed by the High Court鈥檚 findings in relation to two specific cases but will not be seeking permission to appeal at this stage.听
鈥榃e will study the judgement carefully to ensure that we learn any lessons that it can provide.
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鈥榃e are pleased that the court has concluded that the relevant policy in relation to the detention of children and families at the time of this detention was lawful.鈥�