Prime Minister's question asked in the House of Commons, by Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton (Conservative). It was answered on Wednesday, 26 April 2006 on behalf of the Prime Minister.

Engagements

Question: We learned this morning that the Home Secretary offered to resign. That contradicts what Downing street said yesterday. They were asked:"““Has Charles Clarke or anyone else offered to resign?””," and replied, ““No.”” That is the sort of thing that we have come routinely to expect from this Government. Can the Prime Minister answer this? When the Home Secretary offered to resign, did the Prime Minister know that, even after the Government were told about systemic failure, 288 prisoners were released without being considered for deportation?

Answer: I do not accept that the Home Secretary did not act on this matter. He did act, for the very reasons that I have given, and in the way that I just described. The fact is that there has been action as a result of people realising that there were cases that should have been considered pre-release which were only considered post-release. There is now a system in place, however, for the first time since these procedures began, that will allow us to make sure that all cases are considered pre-release and that deportations follow, where appropriate. I may point out that that is literally the first time for decades that such a system has been in place.

Secondary information

Type: Oral question
Reference: 445 c564-5
Session: 2005-06
Oral question type: Supplementary
Chamber / Committee: House of Commons chamber
Subjects: Deportation Foreign nationals Home Office Maladministration Offenders Prisoners Ministers Prisoners' release Resignations Reoffenders HM Prison Service Immigration and Nationality Directorate
Link: View this Prime Minister's question on www.publications.parliament.uk