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Chamber and committees

Home Office Decision to Forcibly Deport Irene Clennell

  • Submitted by: Alex Rowley, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
  • Date lodged: Monday, 27 February 2017
  • Motion type: Standard Motion
  • Motion reference: S5M-04285

That the Parliament deplores the Home Office's decision to forcibly deport Irene Clennell from the country; understands that Irene first came to the UK in 1988, has been married to John, a British citizen, for 27 years and had been granted indefinite leave to remain; recognises that she has a life and family in the UK, including two children and one grandchild; understands that the reason for Irene’s deportation is due to the length of time she spent out of the country when visiting her dying parents in Singapore; believes that this demonstrates that the UK Government’s spousal visa system needs reformed to stop the tearing apart of British families that live, work and contribute together, in the Clennell's case for the last 30 years; considers that the situation must be dealt with as a matter of urgency as Irene’s husband is seriously ill; condemns the decision to deport being made on a Sunday, which, it believes, results in difficulty in contacting organisations or solicitors to help fight it; understands that Irene was sent to the Dungavel detention centre on 19 January 2017, where she was held until being deported directly from there on 26 February; calls on the Scottish Government to make direct representation to the UK Government to review this case urgently; condemns the Home Office decision to keep Dungavel open after announcing its closure in 2016, and echoes the sentiments of Amnesty International that “there must be a more humane approach to housing refugees and asylum-seekers, and efforts made to solve the destructive impact that being in detention causes, and the terrible toll it takes on the most vulnerable people”.


Supported by: Jackie Baillie, Neil Findlay, John Finnie, Ross Greer, Patrick Harvie, Monica Lennon, Richard Lyle, Fulton MacGregor, Ruth Maguire, John Mason, Ivan McKee, Christina McKelvie, Gil Paterson, Elaine Smith, David Stewart, David Torrance, Andy Wightman