Every parliamentary written question tabled by Rupert Lowe this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 1,501–1,520 of 2,390 · this parliament
How many and what proportion of deportations did not take place due to the individual renouncing non-UK citizenship in each of the last five years.
I refer the Honourable Member to the answer he was given on 28 January to question UIN 25838.
How many and what proportion of foreign national offenders released under the Early Removal Scheme have reoffended in each of the last five years.
The Early Removal Scheme (ERS) removes foreign national offenders (FNOs) from England and Wales. We do not monitor their behaviour overseas.Between 05 July 2024 and 31 January 2025, 2,925 FNOs have been removed from England and Wales – 21% more than the 2,422 in the same period 12 months prior under the previous Government.There have been 1,557 ERS removals from prison – a 26% increase compared to the same period 12 months prior (1,231) under the previous Government.
With reference to her Department's press release entitled Foreign criminals to be deported quicker, published on 3 March 2025, if her Department will provide a breakdown of the £5 million investment, by allocation for (a) personnel, (b) training and (c) operational costs.
The period 05 July 2024 to 31 January 2025 saw the removal of 2,925 foreign national prisoners serving sentences in prison or in the community. That is 21% more than during the equivalent period 12 months previously, under the previous Government. 1,557 of these offenders were removed from prisons under the Early Removal Scheme – a 26% increase compared with the equivalent period 12 months previously.The measures we announced on 03 March, which are part of the wider work we are undertaking to manage prison capacity pressures, will support the deportation process overseen by the Home Office. The Home Office reports to Parliament on immigration matters and regularly publishes statistics on the number of foreign national offenders who have been deported. The Ministry of Justice regularly reports on prison capacity and the decisive action we are taking to manage this.The removal of foreign national offenders who have no right to remain in the United Kingdom reduces costs to the taxpayer and helps to protect the public. It is not possible to identify separately the saving that will be generated from this initiative, as it forms one part of the wider range of measures we are taking.Our initial estimate is that £4.5 million will be spent on personnel and £500,000 on training and operational costs. The investment will create 82 specialist roles to oversee removals from jails. Staff will be in post and fully operational by 01 April.
With reference to her Department's press release entitled Foreign criminals to be deported quicker, published on 3 March 2025, what steps she plans to take to mitigate potential challenges in deporting FNOs who originate from (a) countries with unstable political situations and (b) countries that lack repatriation agreements with the UK.
The Government is committed to delivering justice for victims and safer streets for our communities. In the event that a foreign national is found guilty of a crime, we will take strong action against them in the interests of public safety and protection. Any foreign national who is convicted of a crime and given a prison sentence is considered for deportation at the earliest opportunity, and where there are barriers that delay us from enforcing those deportations, we will always do our upmost to overcome them.
How many and what proportion of Foreign National Offenders are eligible for deportation.
I refer the Honourable Member to the Answer given on 6 March to Question UIN 34052.
What is the current backlog of deportation cases; and what estimate she has made of how long the average case takes.
I refer the Honourable Member to the Answer given on 6 March to Question UIN 34052.
With reference to her Department's press release entitled Foreign criminals to be deported quicker, published on 3 March 2025, how frequently her Department will report to Parliament on the (a) progress and (b) outcomes of this deportation initiative.
The period 05 July 2024 to 31 January 2025 saw the removal of 2,925 foreign national prisoners serving sentences in prison or in the community. That is 21% more than during the equivalent period 12 months previously, under the previous Government. 1,557 of these offenders were removed from prisons under the Early Removal Scheme – a 26% increase compared with the equivalent period 12 months previously.The measures we announced on 03 March, which are part of the wider work we are undertaking to manage prison capacity pressures, will support the deportation process overseen by the Home Office. The Home Office reports to Parliament on immigration matters and regularly publishes statistics on the number of foreign national offenders who have been deported. The Ministry of Justice regularly reports on prison capacity and the decisive action we are taking to manage this.The removal of foreign national offenders who have no right to remain in the United Kingdom reduces costs to the taxpayer and helps to protect the public. It is not possible to identify separately the saving that will be generated from this initiative, as it forms one part of the wider range of measures we are taking.Our initial estimate is that £4.5 million will be spent on personnel and £500,000 on training and operational costs. The investment will create 82 specialist roles to oversee removals from jails. Staff will be in post and fully operational by 01 April.
What steps she has taken to ensure timely information sharing between prison authorities and immigration enforcement agencies.
The sharing of information between the Home Office and HMPPS is essential to carry out the effective operation of the immigration and justice systems.Foreign national offenders (FNOs) are referred to the Home Office for deportation immediately following sentencing by HM Prisons and Probation Service (HMPPS).The Home Office has Immigration Prison Teams (IPTs), whose officers are based in prisons and meet regularly with Offender Management Units to discuss and share information about FNOs. In addition, HMPPS have also recently announced a 12-month pilot to ringfence FNO Liaison Officers in roles designed to speed up FNO removals.The Home Office continues to work closely with HMPPS to maximise removals directly from prison. Between 5 July 2024 and 31 January 2025, 1,557 ERS returns have taken place, which is a 26% increase compared to 1,231 in the same period 12 months prior.
If she will provide a list of countries which have refused to accept the return of foreign national offenders from the UK.
The Home Office does not hold any such list. The UK has strong returns cooperation with countries across the globe and continuing to build on this cooperation is at the heart of our diplomatic engagement.
With reference to her Department's press release entitled Foreign criminals to be deported quicker, published on 3 March 2025, what estimate she has made of the long-term financial savings from this initiative.
The period 05 July 2024 to 31 January 2025 saw the removal of 2,925 foreign national prisoners serving sentences in prison or in the community. That is 21% more than during the equivalent period 12 months previously, under the previous Government. 1,557 of these offenders were removed from prisons under the Early Removal Scheme – a 26% increase compared with the equivalent period 12 months previously.The measures we announced on 03 March, which are part of the wider work we are undertaking to manage prison capacity pressures, will support the deportation process overseen by the Home Office. The Home Office reports to Parliament on immigration matters and regularly publishes statistics on the number of foreign national offenders who have been deported. The Ministry of Justice regularly reports on prison capacity and the decisive action we are taking to manage this.The removal of foreign national offenders who have no right to remain in the United Kingdom reduces costs to the taxpayer and helps to protect the public. It is not possible to identify separately the saving that will be generated from this initiative, as it forms one part of the wider range of measures we are taking.Our initial estimate is that £4.5 million will be spent on personnel and £500,000 on training and operational costs. The investment will create 82 specialist roles to oversee removals from jails. Staff will be in post and fully operational by 01 April.
With reference to her Department's press release entitled Foreign criminals to be deported quicker, published on 3 March 2025, how many specialist front line staff have been hired and deployed to prisons as part of the immigration crack squad.
The period 05 July 2024 to 31 January 2025 saw the removal of 2,925 foreign national prisoners serving sentences in prison or in the community. That is 21% more than during the equivalent period 12 months previously, under the previous Government. 1,557 of these offenders were removed from prisons under the Early Removal Scheme – a 26% increase compared with the equivalent period 12 months previously.The measures we announced on 03 March, which are part of the wider work we are undertaking to manage prison capacity pressures, will support the deportation process overseen by the Home Office. The Home Office reports to Parliament on immigration matters and regularly publishes statistics on the number of foreign national offenders who have been deported. The Ministry of Justice regularly reports on prison capacity and the decisive action we are taking to manage this.The removal of foreign national offenders who have no right to remain in the United Kingdom reduces costs to the taxpayer and helps to protect the public. It is not possible to identify separately the saving that will be generated from this initiative, as it forms one part of the wider range of measures we are taking.Our initial estimate is that £4.5 million will be spent on personnel and £500,000 on training and operational costs. The investment will create 82 specialist roles to oversee removals from jails. Staff will be in post and fully operational by 01 April.
If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of raising the illegal working civil penalties to employers found to be hiring illegal migrants.
The civil penalties were recently raised in February 2024 to £45,000 per illegal worker for a first breach from £15,000, and up to £60,000 for repeat breaches from £20,000.
How many (a) air miles and (b) flights she has completed since 5 July 2024.
All overseas ministerial travel, including flight details is regularly published in transparency returns. These figures are scheduled to be published in due course.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 31 January 2025 to Question 24737 on British Indian Ocean Territory: Mauritius, what estimate he has made of the number of rounds of negotiations there will be between the UK and Mauritius Governments on the sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory before the Government brings forward a Bill to make the necessary amendments to current legislation to implement a UK/Mauritius Treaty on this matter.
As we and Mauritius have repeatedly said, including in joint statements on 20 December 2024 and on 13 January, both sides remain committed to concluding a deal on the future of the Chagos Archipelago. Once the Treaty is signed it will be laid before both Houses for scrutiny under the CRaG process and a Bill will be brought forward to make the necessary amendments to current legislation to implement the Treaty.
How many and what proportion of people who arrived on small boats and have had their asylum application refused have not been deported.
Available data on returns of failed asylum seekers, including those who arrive by small boat, is published on a quarterly basis by the Home Office. The latest data goes to the end of December 2024.
How many Iraqi nationals have been returned to Iraq in each year since the signing of the Agreement between the UK and Iraq on the transfer of sentenced persons of October 2015.
Foreign nationals who commit crime should be in no doubt that the law will be enforced and the Ministry of Justice will work with the Home Office to pursue their deportation. Since July 2024, 2,925 foreign national offenders (FNOs) have been removed which is a 21% increase compared to the same period 12 months prior. FNOs serving custodial sentences may be transferred to serve their prison sentence in their home country if it has a reciprocal Prisoner Transfer Agreement (PTA) with the UK. The UK has over 110 PTAs with other countries. The previous government agreed some PTAs that are compulsory and others that are voluntary which require the prisoner’s consent to be transferred. A revised compulsory PTA with Albania was ratified in 2021 and an arrangement to increase its efficiency was signed in March 2023. Under the previous government, between 2021 and March 2023, no transfers were made but since the agreement was updated, 8 Albanians have been transferred. The previous government announced the expectation of getting a PTA in 2015 with Jamaica but the agreement was never finalised. Since our electronic records began in 2011, 20 Indian nationals have been returned to India under the PTA. In the past 2 years fewer than 3 Indian nationals have been returned under the PTA. It is worth noting that the PTA with India is voluntary which means that consent is required from the prisoner for the PTA to be agreed. As with India the PTA with Iraq is also voluntary and since the PTA was signed in 2015 fewer than 3 Iraqi nationals have been transferred.
If she will make an estimate of the cost of the public purse of all illegal migrants per migrant per year, excluding asylum seekers.
Relevant data concerning Home Office expenditure on tackling illegal immigration is published on a routine basis in the Department's annual reports.
With reference to the UK/Albania: Agreement on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons agreed in October 2021, how many Albanian nationals have been returned to Albania since the signing of that Agreement.
Foreign nationals who commit crime should be in no doubt that the law will be enforced and the Ministry of Justice will work with the Home Office to pursue their deportation. Since July 2024, 2,925 foreign national offenders (FNOs) have been removed which is a 21% increase compared to the same period 12 months prior. FNOs serving custodial sentences may be transferred to serve their prison sentence in their home country if it has a reciprocal Prisoner Transfer Agreement (PTA) with the UK. The UK has over 110 PTAs with other countries. The previous government agreed some PTAs that are compulsory and others that are voluntary which require the prisoner’s consent to be transferred. A revised compulsory PTA with Albania was ratified in 2021 and an arrangement to increase its efficiency was signed in March 2023. Under the previous government, between 2021 and March 2023, no transfers were made but since the agreement was updated, 8 Albanians have been transferred. The previous government announced the expectation of getting a PTA in 2015 with Jamaica but the agreement was never finalised. Since our electronic records began in 2011, 20 Indian nationals have been returned to India under the PTA. In the past 2 years fewer than 3 Indian nationals have been returned under the PTA. It is worth noting that the PTA with India is voluntary which means that consent is required from the prisoner for the PTA to be agreed. As with India the PTA with Iraq is also voluntary and since the PTA was signed in 2015 fewer than 3 Iraqi nationals have been transferred.
How many (a) air miles and (b) flights he has completed since 5 July 2024.
Data on ministers’ travel is published on a quarterly basis. This can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/desnz-ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-meetings
How many Indian nationals have been returned to India in each year since the signing of the Agreement between the UK and India on the transfer of sentenced persons, published on 12 May 2006.
Foreign nationals who commit crime should be in no doubt that the law will be enforced and the Ministry of Justice will work with the Home Office to pursue their deportation. Since July 2024, 2,925 foreign national offenders (FNOs) have been removed which is a 21% increase compared to the same period 12 months prior. FNOs serving custodial sentences may be transferred to serve their prison sentence in their home country if it has a reciprocal Prisoner Transfer Agreement (PTA) with the UK. The UK has over 110 PTAs with other countries. The previous government agreed some PTAs that are compulsory and others that are voluntary which require the prisoner’s consent to be transferred. A revised compulsory PTA with Albania was ratified in 2021 and an arrangement to increase its efficiency was signed in March 2023. Under the previous government, between 2021 and March 2023, no transfers were made but since the agreement was updated, 8 Albanians have been transferred. The previous government announced the expectation of getting a PTA in 2015 with Jamaica but the agreement was never finalised. Since our electronic records began in 2011, 20 Indian nationals have been returned to India under the PTA. In the past 2 years fewer than 3 Indian nationals have been returned under the PTA. It is worth noting that the PTA with India is voluntary which means that consent is required from the prisoner for the PTA to be agreed. As with India the PTA with Iraq is also voluntary and since the PTA was signed in 2015 fewer than 3 Iraqi nationals have been transferred.