PRESSURE continued to build on Jack McConnell, the first minister, last night over his refusal to express a view on the issue of children being held at Dungavel, as the Home Office decided to come out fighting.

Beverley Hughes, the immigration minister, said it was outrageous and offensive to staff there to compare Dungavel to Guantanamo Bay or a concentration camp.

But the original reference to Guantanamo Bay, a quote by Bill Speirs of the STUC in The Herald, was not to conditions there but to the idea that it was a part of Scotland not covered by Scottish jurisdiction.

Ms Hughes said: ''Most people in Scotland agree that we need to have fair, proper, and effective immigration controls.

''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.''

Her claim that mothers had freedom to feed children at all times, and that those held were well treated, clashed with the evidence yesterday of Mercy Ikolo, released on bail on Thursday to stay with her daughter at the home of Rosie Kane, the Scottish Socialist MSP.

The asylum seeker from Cameroon said: ''It is bad for children to be kept at Dungavel. I am really happy to demonstrate because it is for all the other mothers.''

She spoke chillingly of an atmosphere inside Dungavel where those held were afraid to stand up to the rules, ask questions, or demand to see their solicitors because this had resulted in people being removed swiftly and put on flights out of the country.

Cradling her sleeping child, Ms Ikolo spoke of the dilemma facing inmates. ''Families are afraid to ask question or ask to see a solicitor because they fear they will book you on a flight.

''That is what happened to a family that was sent to Poland. That is what's happening to all the other mothers.''

Her lawyer, Aamer Anwar, claimed this was a deliberate attempt to intimidate inmates, and he said it was the Home Office that was behind this, not the local staff at Dungavel, who said: ''It is all very well seeing these posters saying One Scotland, Many Cultures, but at the moment it is all rank hypocrisy.''

Ms Kane accused ministers of lacking ''both spine and guts'', while the SNP's Sandra White had a message to ministers: ''Get off your knees and tell these kids, 'you are on Scottish soil. You are safe here'.''

The Scottish Executive continued to maintain its silence on the Dungavel issue yesterday, even after Bishop John Mone's criticism of the first minister for failing to reply to a letter from him three weeks ago seeking his personal view of the issue of holding children there.

Cathy Peattie joined Elaine Smith among Labour's Holyrood back benchers prepared to go public with their unease on the issue, but as yet there is no sign of a general rift in the ranks of others. ''MSPs hate it when MPs tread on their lawn, so vice versa also applies,'' it was explained.

Crowds packed a public meeting last night to discuss the executive's silence over Dungavel and to put pressure on ministers to force Westminster to close the unit.

Speakers included politicians, educationalists, human rights activists, and cultural figures. Peter Mullan, the actor, said: ''Those of us who know anything about what goes on in places like Dungavel are obliged to let everyone else know and close it down.''