Oral question asked in the House of Commons, by John Baron (Conservative). It was answered on Monday, 19 June 2006 on behalf of the Home Office.

Mr. Tawanda Machingura

Question: I hear the Minister’s response. This foul crime, committed two years ago, caused much concern locally, and all we wanted to know was the whereabouts of the dangerous individual after he was released. Despite writing to the then Home Secretary in April, asking written questions on 10 May, 17 May and 14 June and phoning the Home Office, I hit a wall of silence. It has taken the Minister being dragged to the Dispatch Box to get a simple answer to a simple question. Given the Prime Minister’s promise of transparency on this issue, will the Minister explain why I received no responses to my named-day written questions? Does this case not show that the Government have failed to reassure the public on the foreign prisoners’ crisis?

Answer: The lack of response that was accorded to the hon. Gentleman’s inquiries was completely unacceptable. In my view, it highlighted again some of the failings on which my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has briefed the House. The processes to which the hon. Gentleman alludes will be part of the review that we are undertaking over the next month and a half.

Secondary information

Type: Oral question
Reference: 447 c1047
Session: 2005-06
Oral question type: 1st Supplementary
Chamber / Committee: House of Commons chamber
Subjects: Abuse Deportation Administrative delays Undocumented migrants Foreign nationals Offenders Nurses Psychiatric patients Prisoners' release Sexual offences
Link: View this Oral question on www.publications.parliament.uk