I was saddened and dismayed by recent news of proposals to turn a 254-bed hotel in nearby Crawley into a detention centre.

Due to the nature of the building, it could only house families and children. The detention of children in centres has long been condemned for the detrimental physical and psychological effects it has on them, and just last month a report was published declaring that the administrative detention of children is unacceptable and should cease immediately.

The nearby centres in Gatwick have come under heavy criticism recently; in particular, Tinsley House, which is the subject of a critical report by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, which described the arrangements for children as "wholly unacceptable" and criticised the "limited access to fresh air".

Imprisoning children for the sole reason of being a migrant is totally unacceptable, and the Government should be doing all it can to ensure this practice is brought to a swift end.