Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reasons her Department did not renew the Choices contract in detention centres; and what assessment the Government has made of the effect of that decision on the number of people in detention taking up voluntary return and being removed from the UK.

Additional packages of assistance for those detained pending removal to depart the UK were stopped in March 2014. This reflects the need for those who are here illegally to make a voluntary return at the earliest stage. This should occur before enforcement action and detention is required. Since this change, the overall number of illegal migrants whose voluntary departure is facilitated by the Home Office and its partners has continued to increase.