To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many immigrants were convicted of crimes in each of the last five years; and what proportion of these offenders have subsequently been deported. (186900)

The information requested can be obtained only through the detailed examination and cross-referencing of individual case records held by the Border and Immigration Agency and the Ministry of Justice at disproportionate cost. The chief executive of the Border and Immigration Agency appeared before the Home Affairs Committee on 15 January and advised that over 4,200 foreign national prisoners had been removed or deported from the UK in 2007, exceeding the Prime Minister's target, which was an increase of around 80 per cent. compared to 2006.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress she has made in deporting foreign nationals from English prisons. (186964)

[holding answer 18 February 2008]: The chief executive of the Border and Immigration Agency regularly updates the Home Affairs Committee with the most robust and up to date information on the progress of deporting foreign national prisoners. She appeared before the Committee on 15 January and advised that over 4,200 foreign nationals prisoners had been removed or deported from the UK in 2007, exceeding the Prime Minister’ target, which was an increase of around 80 per cent. compared to 2006. The Home Secretary has also confirmed that this included more than 1,100 drug offenders, more than 200 sex offenders and more than 20 killers.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations have been made to prison authorities by the Border and Immigration Agency on the deportation of foreign criminals serving custodial sentences of less than 12 months; and if she will make a statement. (177341)

Monthly liaison meetings are held between all relevant parties in Ministry of Justice and Border and Immigration Agency to consider general issues and specific cases.

The Border and Immigration Agency deported over 4,200 foreign national prisoners from the United Kingdom in 2007. A large number of these individuals were deported following completion of custodial sentences lasting less than 12 months and that will continue to be the case for any future deportations that take place.

The BIA routinely considers for deportation those serving less than 12 months sentences. The chief executive recently appeared before the Home Affairs Committee and advised that the focus is on deporting the most serious criminals first, but we are already deporting a significant number of criminals whose sentences are either less than 12 months, for instance where a court recommends deportation, or where they have had a number of sentences of less than 12 months but those aggregate to 12 months overall.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many non-EU citizens serving prison sentences in respect of (a) sexual and (b) violent offences have been released from custody on completion of their sentence since 1 January 2007; and how many such prisoners have been deported or otherwise removed from the UK. (177343)

We have made it clear that our priority is to protect the public by ensuring that foreign national prisoners are not released without first being considered for deportation. The chief executive of the Border and Immigration Agency advised the Home Affairs Committee on 15 January that more than 4,200 foreign national prisoners were deported from the United Kingdom. The Home Secretary has also announced that this included more than 20 killers, more than 200 sex offenders and more than 1,100 drug offenders.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many non-EU citizens have received custodial sentences for (a) sexual and (b) violent offences of (i) less and (ii) more than 12 months in each year since 1997; and how many such offenders (A) are in custody serving their sentence or otherwise and (B) have been deported or otherwise removed from the UK. (177347)

The information requested is not collated by the Border and Immigration Agency (BIA) and can be obtained through the detailed examination of individual case files only at disproportionate cost.

The chief executive of the BIA advised the Home Affairs Committee on 15 January that over 4,200 foreign national prisoners from the United Kingdom had been removed or deported in 2007. The Home Secretary has also confirmed that this includes more than 1,100 drug offenders, more than 200 sex offenders and more than 20 killers. A large number of these individuals were deported following completion of custodial sentences lasting less than 12 months and that will continue to be the case for any future deportations that take place.

During her recent appearance before the Home Affairs Committee the Chief Executive of the BIA advised that the focus is on deporting the most serious criminals first, but we are already deporting a significant number of criminals whose sentences are either less than 12 months, for instance where a court recommends deportation, or where they have had a number of sentences of less than 12 months but those aggregate to 12 months overall.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the 4,000 prisoners deported in 2007 were serving sentences of (a) two years or less, (b) 12 months or less and (c) 12 months or less for offences of a violent or sexual nature. (177402)

The information requested can be obtained only through examination of individual file records at disproportionate cost. The chief executive of the Border and Immigration Agency has regularly written to the Home Affairs Committee over the past 18 months and provided the most accurate and robust information available relating to foreign national prisoners. She advised the Home Affairs Committee, during her appearance before them on 15 January, that more than 4,200 foreign national prisoners were removed or deported from the UK in 2007. The Home Secretary has also confirmed that this included more than 20 killers, more than 200 sex offenders and more than 1,100 drug offenders.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many EU prisoners have been (a) considered for deportation and deported, (b) considered for deportation and not deported, (c) deported following a recommendation from a judge for deportation and (d) allowed to remain in the UK on the completion of the custodial part of their sentence even though made the subject of a recommendation by a judge for deportation in each year since 1997. (177403)

The information requested can be obtained only through examination of individual file records at disproportionate cost. The chief executive of the Border and Immigration Agency advised the Home Affairs Committee, during her appearance before them on 15 January, that more than 4,200 foreign national prisoners were removed or deported from the UK in 2007. More than 500 of these were nationals from European economic area countries.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of foreign nationals detained in HMP Peterborough were removed and deported under the auspices of the Border and Immigration Agency at the conclusion of their sentence in each month since May 2006; and if she will make a statement. (178268)

[holding answer 15 January 2008]: The information requested can be obtained only through the detailed examination of individual casefiles at disproportionate cost. The chief executive of the Border and Immigration Agency wrote a letter to the Home Affairs Committee on 17 December and provided the most accurate and robust information on the deportation of foreign national prisoners. A copy of the letter is available in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convicted foreign nationals were deported in 2007; and how many of these had been serving prison sentences in England and Wales. (180679)

The chief executive of the Border and Immigration Agency advised in her appearance before the Home Affairs committee on 15 January that over 4,200 foreign national prisoners were deported or removed from the United Kingdom in 2007. In order to ascertain which prisons they were detained at would require the detailed examination of individual casefiles at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the Borders and Immigration Agency's policy is on the deportation of prisoners serving sentences of less than 12 months; and what advice it has offered HM Prison Service. (181101)

Monthly liaison meetings are held between all relevant parties in Ministry of Justice and Border and Immigration Agency to consider general issues and specific cases.

The Border and Immigration Agency deported over 4,200 foreign national prisoners from the United Kingdom. A large number of these individuals were deported following completion of custodial sentences lasting less than 12 months and that will continue to be the case for any future deportations that take place.

The BIA routinely considers for deportation those serving less than 12 months sentences.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many foreign prisoners have been deported since May 2007; and to which countries they have been deported. (180040)

The chief executive of the Border and Immigration Agency has regularly written to the Home Affairs Committee over the past 18 months and provided the most accurate and robust information available on foreign national prisoners. Copies of these letters are available in the Library of the House.

In her recent appearance before the Home Affairs Committee on 15 January, it was advised that over 4,200 foreign national prisoners were deported or removed from the United Kingdom in 2007. She also advised that a significant number of foreign national prisoners come from countries such as Jamaica, China, Nigeria and Vietnam.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average cost was of deporting a foreign national prisoner in each of the last five years. (187103)

The information requested can be obtained through the detailed evaluation of individual cases only at disproportionate cost. The chief executive of the Border and Immigration Agency has regularly updated the Home Affairs Committee over the past 18 months with the most robust and accurate information available on the deportation of foreign national prisoners and will continue to do so as required. Copies of her letters to the Committee are available in the Library of the House.