Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what are the main barriers for deportation for the 21,294 foreign national offenders subject to enforcement action living in the community, broken down by barrier type.

The information you have requested is not available from published statistics.

We make every effort to ensure that a foreign national offender’s (FNO) removal by deportation coincides, as far as possible, with their release from prison on completion of sentence. Where the Home Office cannot remove an FNO within a realistic timeframe, the individual may be released into the community.

We pursue deportation action against individuals living in the community rigorously, actively monitoring and managing cases through the legal process and negotiating barriers to removal.

Over 11,000 FNOs have been returned or deported in the two years since the last election, a 41% increase on the two years prior, and we remain resolute in our commitment to deport those who would abuse our hospitality and make our communities safer for everyone.