Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people were deported to Jamaica from the UK on 2 December; how many people who were due to be deported on that same flight were not; and why any such people were not deported.

The charter flight to Jamaica departed the UK on 2 December 2020 carrying 13 foreign national offenders (FNOs) convicted of serious offences including murder, attempted rape, aggravated burglary and supplying Class A drugs. They were sentenced to a combined total of over 100 years, which included one life sentence.

There were 23 FNOs who were sentenced to a combined total of 156 years plus one life sentence who were not deported on the charter, including a murderer and rapists.

We are unable to comment on individual cases and therefore cannot provide the detailed reasons why those removed from the flight were not deported; however, the majority were due to last minute legal challenges. We are progressing these cases as a priority.

This Government takes seriously its obligation under the UK Borders Act 2007 to deport any FNO who has served a custodial sentence of at least 12 months; and we will continue to seek to remove dangerous criminals and protect our communities.