The Justice Secretary has revealed that the number of foreign criminals deported early under the Labour government has surged by 75%. David Lammy informed Members of Parliament that over 2,700 foreign national offenders were removed under the early removal scheme in the past year, a significant increase from the final year of the previous Tory administration.
The Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that these figures demonstrate the government’s commitment to addressing the prisons crisis. Speaking in the House of Commons, he stated that the government has successfully accelerated the removal of foreign national offenders, with a notable 75% increase in deportations. This marks a positive shift in the efforts to expel dangerous criminals from the country.
Under the early removal scheme, the weekly deportations reached a peak of 114 in September, equating to approximately 16 individuals being removed daily. Earlier this year, the government introduced stringent measures to enable even earlier deportation of foreign criminals, leading to a 14% rise in the total number of FNOs returned under Labour.
Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had pledged to double the number of foreign criminals deported, but by the time the Conservatives left office in July 2024, the annual deportations of FNOs remained below the levels of 2010.
Jake Richards, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Sentencing, Youth Justice, and International Affairs, affirmed the government’s proactive stance on deporting foreign criminals. He highlighted the increased rate of deportations and the reforms ensuring swifter and earlier removals.
Richards added that further actions would be taken to rebalance the application of human rights law domestically and internationally, preventing offenders from exploiting legal loopholes. The Labour government remains steadfast in its commitment to deporting more foreign criminals and implementing necessary changes.