Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Returning Illegal Migrants to their Home Country

Monday 15 April 2024 · 4 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Minister reported 26,000 illegal migrants returned in 2023, a 74% increase from previous years.
  • Removals of foreign national offenders increased by 27% in the previous year.
  • Government claims to be focused on removing foreign criminals, contrasting with opposition policies.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Henry Smith Con
Immigration Migrants & Borders
Context

The question pertains to the government's progress in returning illegal migrants.

Question

What recent progress his Department has made on returning illegal migrants to their home country?

Answer from Michael Tomlinson

In 2023, we delivered a strong removal performance, with overall returns back to pre-covid levels. In total, 26,000 were returned, an increase of 74%, at an average of 500 removed every week last year.

Answered
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Q2 Henry Smith Con
Immigration Justice & Courts
Context

The question addresses the priority given to returning foreign national offenders and ensuring community safety.

Question

I am grateful to the Minister for his response. Can he update the House on how his Department is prioritising the return of foreign national offenders to their home countries to keep the streets and communities of the United Kingdom safe?

Answer from Michael Tomlinson

May I first pay tribute to my hon. Friend and the work that goes on in his constituency? As he knows, I visited Gatwick recently and saw for myself the good work of the Border Force team there. He will be pleased to know that removals of foreign national offenders were up last year by 27%. We are committed to the removal of foreign criminals and those with no right to be in the United Kingdom.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask about prioritization was not directly addressed; instead, there was a general statement on commitment without concrete actions or figures.

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Q3 Jessica Morden Lab Newport East
Immigration Asylum & Refugees
Context

The question refers to a specific case involving an asylum seeker in Newport who is a convicted sex offender and has breached the terms of his license.

Question

On that point, I sadly see many asylum seekers in Newport who are stuck in limbo due to this Government's incompetence. However, can I draw the Minister's attention to the case of a man in Newport who lied about his name and country of origin and is a convicted sex offender who has breached the terms of his licence? The courts want him returned home. He wants to return home and will even pay for his flight, but for some unfathomable reason, the Home Office seem incapable of authorising or allowing that. It has been three years—why?

Answer from Michael Tomlinson

The removals increased last year. It is interesting to note that Opposition Members, including the leader of the Labour party, have campaigned to ensure they are preventing the deportation of foreign criminals. Those on the Government Benches are determined to see foreign criminals removed, and there was an increase in removals of 74% last year.

Not addressed: The questioner's specific case is completely ignored; instead, the answer discusses overall trends.

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Q4 Stephen Kinnock Lab Aberafan Maesteg
Immigration Asylum & Refugees
Context

The question highlights the reduction in returns under Conservative Governments since 2010 and questions the effectiveness of current policies.

Question

Under successive Conservative Governments since 2010, returns of failed asylum seekers have collapsed by 44%, and returns of foreign national offenders have fallen by almost 30% over the same period. For all the Government's tough talk, only 2% of those arriving on small boats since 2018 have been returned anywhere, yet Ministers are still resisting Labour's plan for a new returns and enforcement unit to ensure the swift removal of those with no right to be here. Meanwhile, over the weekend, more people crossed the channel in small boats than will be covered in the entire first year of the Government's failing Rwanda scheme. Will the Minister stop the headline-chasing gimmicks and instead commit to setting out his plan for the 99% of people currently stuck in the asylum system who will never be sent to Rwanda?

Answer from Michael Tomlinson

The fact of the matter is that nearly 18,000 foreign national offenders were returned between January 2019 and December 2023. The fact of the matter is that Opposition Members, including the leader of the Labour party, have campaigned to prevent the deportation of foreign criminals, while Government Members welcome an increase of 74%, with an average of 500 people being removed every single week.

Not addressed: The questioner's specific ask for a plan is not addressed; instead, there are general statements about removals and opposition campaigning.

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