Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 9 October 2018 to Question 174681 on Deportation: West Africa, how many of the 60 people who were due to be returned on the charter flight to Nigeria and Ghana on 28 March 2017 have subsequently been deported and on what dates; whether each of the 60 people were informed by his Department (a) between 28 March 2017 and 15 April 2018 of the rights to stay which are conferred to Commonwealth citizens under the 1971 Immigration Act and (b) of the Windrush Taskforce after 16 April 2016; and if he will make a statement.

Of the 60 people due to be returned on the charter flight to Nigeria and Ghana on 28 March 2017, 49 have since been removed. The table below shows the dates of removal. In the table below, we have included all types of removal including those who may have been deported.

Prior to any enforced removal, all individuals are notified of their liability for removal. This informs them of the reason why they are liable to removal, the destination for removal, advises the migrant to seek early legal advice and places them under a duty to raise with the Home Office any asylum, human rights or European free movement reasons why they believe they are entitled to stay. It also sets out the options for voluntary departure as well as the consequences of not doing so. All individuals are provided with a minimum of 72 hours in which to access legal advice prior to action being taken to enforce their return.

Any individual who believes they are protected under the provisions of the 1971 Immigration Act is able to contact the Windrush Taskforce, who will help to identify their current status. Information on the Windrush Taskforce is readily available on the Home Office website. None of the individuals have contacted the Taskforce.