Prime Minister's question asked in the House of Commons, by Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton (Conservative). It was answered on Wednesday, 17 May 2006 on behalf of the Prime Minister.

Engagements

Question: On behalf of the Opposition, may I add our sympathies to what the Prime Minister said about the soldiers who gave their lives in Iraq. Our thoughts should be with their families for what they have done on our behalf. Two weeks ago the Prime Minister said that automatic deportation would apply to any foreign national"““convicted of an imprisonable offence””.—[Official Report,3 May 2006; Vol. 445, c. 960.]" Last week he said it would apply to those actually imprisoned. This week the Home Secretary said that automatic deportation would now apply only to foreign nationals serving a ““significant”” jail term. Which is it?

Answer: It is exactly as I explained when I first answered the right hon. Gentleman. It applies only to people who have gone to prison, which is why we are talking about foreign prisoners. If, for example, someone is sent to prison for a very short space of time and they have been in this country for a long period of time, then the presumption of automatic deportation would not apply, but in the vast bulk of cases, as has been explained, there will be an automatic presumption to deport, and the vast bulk of those people will, indeed, be deported. In my view, those people should be deported, irrespective of any claim that they have that the country to which they are returning may not be safe. That is why it is important that we consider legislating, if necessary, to ensure that such an automatic presumption applies.

Secondary information

Type: Oral question
Reference: 446 c989-90
Session: 2005-06
Oral question type: Supplementary
Chamber / Committee: House of Commons chamber
Subjects: Deportation Convictions Foreign nationals Offenders Prisoners Prisoners' release Prison sentences
Link: View this Prime Minister's question on www.publications.parliament.uk