Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Home Office

Oral Answers to Questions

Mark Reckless Excerpts
Monday 25th March 2013

(11 years, 1 month ago)

Commons Chamber
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Mark Harper Portrait Mr Harper
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My hon. Friend will be pleased to know that the Nigerian Parliament has passed the legislation required to implement compulsory prisoner transfer, which means that in due course we will be able compulsorily to move prisoners to Nigeria, which I am sure he will welcome.

Mark Reckless Portrait Mark Reckless (Rochester and Strood) (Con)
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Might the trend in this area not be rather better if the Home Secretary had followed the advice of our hon. Friend the Member for Esher and Walton (Mr Raab), rather than that of others who have been consistently wrong?

Mark Harper Portrait Mr Harper
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I do not agree with my hon. Friend. The amendment proposed by our hon. Friend the Member for Esher and Walton would in our judgment have made it more difficult to deport foreign national offenders, rather than easier. That is why the Government will look at introducing amendments to primary legislation, when we have a suitable legislative vehicle, to implement the commitments that my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary made to the House.