 Printable version
|
 E-mail this to a friend
|
Strictly embargoed until 00:01 Thursday 27 October 2011 - Independent Chief Inspector publishes report on the UK Border Agency's management of foreign national prisoners
John Vine CBE QPM, the Independent Chief Inspector of the UK Border Agency, has published a thematic inspection report of how the UK Border Agency manages foreign national prisoners.
The Chief Inspector was pleased to find that:
* more foreign national prisoners were being deported more
quickly under Early Removal or Facilitated Returns Schemes; and
* the Agency was routinely monitoring the number of foreign
national prisoners deported, the number detained and the length of
detention.
However, the Chief Inspector was concerned to find that:
* a significant number of the Agency?s decisions to deport
foreign national prisoners were overturned on appeal, at
considerable cost to the taxpayer;
* the overwhelming
majority of those who had yet to be deported were detained at the
end of their custodial sentence, with insufficient evidence that
the likelihood of re-offending was assessed fully in individual
cases; and
* more needed to be done to manage the rise in the
number of foreign national prisoners whom the Agency had not
deported or could not deport immediately and were therefore
detained or released into the community.
John Vine, Independent Chief Inspector of the UK Border
Agency, said:
"In 2010, 5,235 foreign national prisoners were
deported with more than 2,500 leaving the UK under the Facilitated
Returns Scheme, a cost-effective method of deportation. I was
pleased to find that the Agency had placed greater emphasis on
this scheme with 19 per cent more foreign national prisoners
deported than in 2009.
"However, the Agency can still improve the way it
handles foreign national prisoners. A significant number of
appeals continue to be allowed against decisions to deport, in
most cases because deportation would breach the UK?s obligation to
the individual under the Human Rights Act. The Agency must work to
reduce the number of decisions overturned on appeal and take full
account of the courts? decisions in deciding whether deportation
action is appropriate or whether it would breach a person?s rights
under Article 8. If not, there will continue to be a cycle of
appeals, at considerable cost to the taxpayer even though the
outcome will eventually be that the foreign national prisoner is
entitled to remain in the UK.
"Secondly, my file sample of 97 foreign national
prisoner cases indicated that 94 (97 per cent) of those who had
yet to be deported were detained at the end of their sentence with
no evidence of an assessment of the risk they posed to the public.
In my view, there remains a culture within the Agency where the
default position is to identify factors that justify detention
rather than considering each case in accordance with published
policy.
"Finally, I found a rise in the number of foreign
national prisoners whom the Agency has not deported or cannot
deport immediately at the end of their sentence and are therefore
detained or released into the community. At the time of
inspection, 3,775 former foreign national prisoners had been
released from custody and were living in the community. In
addition, over 1,600 foreign national prisoners remained in
detention, having completed their sentence. More must be done to
actively manage these cases - they represent a growing cost to the
taxpayer and cannot be ignored."
To view a copy of the report, please follow the link below;
http://nds.coi.gov.uk/ImageLibrary/detail.aspx?MediaDetailsID=4602
- ENDS -
Notes to Editors:
1. Copies of this report can be found on the Independent
Chief Inspector of the UK Border Agency?s website from 27 October
2011 at www.independent.gov.uk/icinspector/news
2. The Chief Inspector is independent of the UK Border Agency
and is required to report annually to the Secretary of State.
3. This inspection took place between February - May 2011 and
assessed the Agency?s effectiveness and efficiency in managing
foreign national prisoners.
4. The term "foreign national prisoner? is used to
describe any non-British citizen under the authority of the
criminal justice system.
5. The Early Removal Scheme allows foreign national prisoners
to be deported before they have completed their custodial sentence
in the UK. The Facilitated Returns Scheme is intended to encourage
foreign national prisoners to return to their country of origin.
Media Enquiries:
Trish Macready,
Ph: 020 3513 0448 / 0487
Email: Patricia.macready@icinspector.gsi.gov.uk
Contacts:
NDS Enquiries
Phone: For enquiries please contact the issuing dept
ndsenquiries@coi.gsi.gov.uk
Trish Macready
Phone: 0203 513 0448
patricia.macready@icinspector.gsi.gov.uk
