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UK Borders Bill

We will find out the answer to that question in the not-too-distant future. I come now to the amendments tabled by the hon. Members for Ashford and for Reigate (Mr. Blunt). I confess to having a great deal of sympathy with amendments Nos. 14 and 8, and there are only two insurmountable problems. First, there are offences for which the sanction is automatic deportation, but which attract, too, a sentence of less than a month. Because it is quite possible for someone to commit one of the 324 offences under section 72 of the 2002 Act, it is possible for them to be handed down a sentence of less than a month for an offence listed in that section. In that case, the provisions could not apply. Secondly, I am sympathetic to the notion that someone needs to be deported within six months of a deportation order being served. Again, the only obstacle—I am afraid that it is insurmountable—is that occasionally it may be impossible at the end of the six months, or within that period, to return the individual to a particular country. I understand the argument that was made by the hon. Member for Monmouth and I will explore with the Home Office human resources department whether there is any sort of secondment or contractual arrangement that we can enter into, bearing in mind the Register of Members’ Interests.