Oxford West and Abingdon MP Dr Evan Harris has condemned the Government's new policy on asylum seekers affecting Campsfield House detention centre.

More than 30,000 asylum seekers and their families are to be allowed to stay in Britain under a limited amnesty unveiled by the Home Secretary Jack Straw yesterday (MON) in an one-off effort to cut the backlog of 76,000 cases.

Referring to Campsfield House in Langford Lane, Kidlington, Liberal Democrat MP Dr Harris, whose constituency contains the detention centre, said he was not satisfied with Mr Straw's attempts to tackle the problem of asylum seekers.

He said: "They are looking to expand the number detained and they will be still using prisons despite the fact that these asylum seekers have committed no crime. It is doubtful whether this practice can really be called fair."

He also criticised the Government's decision to take all asylum seekers out of the security system and give them cash vouchers instead.

But he welcomed plans to allow all detainees a right to a bail hearing after seven days in detention.

"I welcome the use of judiciary to regulate immigration detention," he said. "It is clear that in the past, people have been locked up arbitrarily and for far too long."

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