A Labour member of the Scottish parliament has broken the party's silence over the controversial Dungavel immigration and removal centre.

Cathy Peattie, chairman of the equal opportunities committee, described the policy of detaining asylum seekers as "crazy" and has called on Holyrood's first minister to intervene.

"It is a reserved issue, it is for the UK ministers to be dealing with this and I don't think we can expect Jack McConnell to stand up in the Scottish parliament and make a speech on this issue," the Falkirk East MSP told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme.

"But I would urge our Scottish ministers to be speaking UK ministers to find a solution and to move this forward quickly. I think it's an appalling system and we can do better than this.

"I know that Scottish ministers over the summer have been speaking to UK ministers. I know they have been speaking about education.

"I think the Scottish community are appalled at the stories they are hearing, mothers having to sneak food into rooms to feed children."

"I'm sure my Labour colleagues are equally concerned," she added.

"I'm sure people are equally concerned and are aware it's a reserved issue but I'm sure they feel exactly the same as I do that this situation is unacceptable."

The controversy follows a report in August by the chief inspector of prisons, Anne Owers, in which she claimed the centre was "not for children".

"The detention of children should be an exceptional measure and should not exceed a very short period - no more than a matter of days," she said.

"The welfare and development of children is likely to be compromised by detention, however humane the provisions, and that will increase the longer detention is maintained."

The move prompted calls from an anti-racist charity, Positive Action in Housing, to close Dungavel, likening it to America's Guantanamo Bay camp in Cuba.

Such claims were rejected by Home Office minister Beverley Hughes.

"Most people in Scotland agree that we need to have fair, proper and effective immigration controls," she said.

"We have to have the ability to detain the minority of people who, for example, are dishonest about their identity, have failed to abide by the rules or where we want to ensure the return of those who have no right to be here.

"But everyone held at Dungavel is treated with decency and respect.

"Immigration is a reserved matter and I am happy to be accountable for explaining why detention is necessary. But it is important that healthy debate on these matters is not distorted by lies and misinformation."