Children will continue to be held at an asylum detention centre in South Lanarkshire while a review is carried out - despite a pledge from the new government in Westminster to end the practice.

The new Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition Government stated they wanted to end the detention of children at Dungavel. At last week’s First Minister’s Questions, Alex Salmond said the Scottish Government will work closely with the coalition to make sure detention of children stops.

However, it has emerged the new Westminster coalition is launching a review of the practice but said that while it is under way the current policy will remain in place. It emerged on Tuesday that a Pakistani woman, Sehar Shabaz and her eight-month-old baby, Wania, have been detained in the centre in the past few days.

The 25-year-old, who has been living in the UK for three years, originally came to Blackburn in Lancashire for an arranged marriage.

She now says her husband was very violent and despite returning to Pakistan for support, her family refused to help her and she came back to the UK.

The mother said: "Some people helped me to come to Glasgow and I went to the Scottish Refugee Council and told them everything. Social work in Glasgow put me into homeless accommodation and I was assisted to make an asylum application.

"My husband followed me to in Glasgow and I was given help to move elsewhere. It is impossible for me to return to Pakistan. My in-laws are harassing my family and claiming that I am a fallen women who has run off with another man.

"This couldn’t be further from the truth. This is the system I would be returning to if they deport me. They won’t spare me, it’s not a small issue if a girl runs away from her husband or in-laws. Our only value in Pakistan now is if I am dead."

Immigration Minister Damian Green said: "Our coalition Government is committed to ending the detention of children for immigration purposes. I hope that we can have plans agreed within the next few months. Whilst this immediate review is ongoing, current policy remains in place.

"I am launching a comprehensive review of alternatives to child detention, including opening a dialogue with relevant stakeholders, organisations and experts. This work has already started because it is in all our interests, including those children currently in detention, to do it quickly, but to also do it well and safely."

He added: "While keeping children's welfare at the heart of what we do, our Government is committed to returning those with no right to stay in the UK."

IN DETAIL

• Detention of children to stop at Dungavel

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Tavish Scott described the detention of children at Dungavel as "shameful and unacceptable" and welcomed the Government’s pledge.

The news has been criticised by SNP MSP Christina McKelvie, whose region includes Dungavel.

She said: "Danny Alexander and Tavish Scott's words mean as little as Labour's when it comes to Dungavel. Last week the Lib Dems claimed the detention of children at Dungavel had ended. Today an eight month old baby is being held behind bars in Scotland.

"Children should not find themselves behind bars in a humane immigration system and if the Lib Dem deal means anything the new Scottish Secretary and Tavish Scott must act to ensure this child, and all others are not detained in Dungavel for one more day.”