Asked by: Baroness Buscombe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many convicted foreign nationals awaiting deportation have been released from HMP Huntercombe in the last 2 years owing to the Home Office's failure to provide the necessary deportation documents on time.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Foreign national offenders (FNOs) are referred to the Home Office for deportation immediately following sentencing. The timeliness of criminal court proceedings and extensive periods on remand means many prisoners will reach their Early Removal Scheme (ERS) window immediately, or very soon after they are sentenced. It is therefore not always possible for the Home Office to carry out all the case working and administrative processes as soon as an FNO becomes eligible for removal under ERS, even when they wish to return voluntarily.
HMPPS (HM Prisons and Probation Service) are working closely with the Home Office to ensure the ERS process runs as efficiently as possible focusing on operational improvements and more robust data.
Latest published information shows that between 5 July 2024 and 4 July 2025 2,632 FNOs were removed directly from prison under ERS, which is a 10% increase compared to the 2,385 in the same period 12 months prior.
We make every effort to ensure that a FNO’s removal by deportation coincides with their release from prison upon completion of their custodial sentence. Legal or re-documentation barriers can frustrate immediate deportation. Despite the barriers we face, we remain resolute in our commitment to deport those who would abuse our hospitality and make our communities safer for everyone.
The information requested is not available from published statistics.
Asked by: Baroness Buscombe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many illegal immigrants who left asylum hotels in the past 5 years have not since been accounted for.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Secretary has set out the most sweeping changes to our asylum system in a generation to restore order and control to our borders.
This includes speeding up removals of illegal migrants from the UK – with almost 50,000 people removed since July 2024.
The information requested is not currently available from published statistics, and the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Baroness Buscombe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the fairness of staying time limits for UK visitors to the EU compared to those for EU visitors to the UK; and what plans they have to change UK staying time limits for EU visitors to match those for UK visitors to the EU, either by agreement with the EU or unilaterally.
Answered by Lord Murray of Blidworth
The UK has a competitive offer for global visitors. All visitors to the UK from across the globe (including those from the EU) are permitted to come for up to 6 months maximum on any single visit as per our Immigration Rules - Immigration Rules - Immigration Rules Appendix V: Visitor - Guidance - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk),
There are no current plans to change the Visitor route duration period. The permitted length of stay for visitors to the UK does not depend on the length of stay available to UK citizens which inevitably vary globally. We operate our immigration system in the interest of the UK.
Asked by: Baroness Buscombe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they plan to introduce requirements to prevent non-resident EU citizens from remaining in the UK for longer than 90 days out of 180 days, without obtaining a visa valid for 6 months at their own expense.
Answered by Lord Murray of Blidworth
All visitors to the UK (including those from the EU) are permitted to come for up to 6 months, regardless of their nationality or whether they require a visa in advance of travelling to the UK.
Nationals of EU Member States do not currently require a visa to visit the UK.
Asked by: Baroness Buscombe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether there is any policy in place, expressed or implied, that prevents or deters ex-armed forces personnel from being accepted into any part of the police force.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
Police officer recruits are welcomed from all backgrounds, subject to passing the recruitment standards set by the College of Policing. This includes those who have served in the military and our unprecedented recruitment campaign sought to promote and amplify these opportunities.
The Police Uplift Programme engaged with relevant organisations to encourage applications from those with armed forces experience and a specific military access pathway pilot, led by Nottinghamshire Police, has recently concluded. Further roll out of this scheme is currently being considered by the College of Policing as part of wider work on police entry routes.
A survey of new police officer recruits, conducted in 2022 as part of the Police Uplift Programme, found that 3% of the preceding year’s recruits had military experience prior to joining the police. However, the Home Office does not hold data to allow an assessment of whether this proportion reflects the backgrounds of the wider police force.
Asked by: Baroness Buscombe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of the current police force is made up of ex-armed forces personnel.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
The Home Office does not hold information on serving officers’ professional background.
A survey of new police officer recruits, conducted in 2022 as part of the Police Uplift Programme, found that 3% of the preceding year’s recruits had military experience prior to joining the police. However, the Home Office does not hold data to assess whether this proportion reflects the backgrounds of the wider police force.
Asked by: Baroness Buscombe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 22 April (HL7592), notwithstanding the British Nationality Act 1981, on what basis they are continuing to grant British citizenship to EU migrants who already possess citizenship of another EU member state.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
British Nationality legislation is set out in the British Nationality Act 1981, and so decisions to grant or refuse citizenship must be made in accordance with that legislation. The 1981 Act does not differentiate between nationals of EU and non-EU countries: citizenship is granted where a person fulfils the statutory requirements.
Asked by: Baroness Buscombe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their rationale for continuing to offer British Citizenship to EU migrants.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The requirements for naturalisation are set out in the British Nationality Act 1981 and include a period of lawful residence, settled status, good character, and knowledge of language and life in the United Kingdom. These apply equally to EEA and non-EEA nationals.