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David Cameron defends progress on bringing foreign criminals to justice David Cameron defends progress on bringing foreign criminals to justice
(35 minutes later)
David Cameron has told the Commons “the buck stops” with him with regard to tackling foreign criminals, following the publication of a highly critical report that has exposed governmental failure to get to grips with the issue. The prime minister has told the Commons the buck stops with him, over tackling foreign criminals, following the publication of a highly critical report that has exposed governmental failure to get to grips with the issue.
The prime minister said the report, from the National Audit Office, stated that there were “too many obstacles in the way” of removing foreign national offenders, and that those barriers included human rights legislation. David Cameron said the report, from the National Audit Office, stated that there were “too many obstacles in the way” of removing foreign national offenders, and that those barriers included human rights legislation.
During Prime Minister’s Questions, Cameron said: “We’re making progress, the buck does stop with me, but I wouldn’t mind a bit of cross-party support for the actions we need to take.” During prime minister’s questions, Cameron said: “We’re making progress, the buck does stop with me, but I wouldn’t mind a bit of cross-party support for the actions we need to take.”
The NAO report, released Monday, revealed that one in six foreign offenders living in the community had absconded. The number included 58 dangerous individuals who have been missing since 2010. The NAO report, released Monday, revealed that one in six foreign offenders living in the community had absconded. The number included 58 dangerous individuals who have been missing since 2010. It also found police were failing to conduct overseas criminal record checks on more than two-thirds of arrested foreign nationals.
The NAO also found that police were failing to conduct overseas criminal record checks on more than two-thirds of arrested foreign nationals.
Despite employing nearly 10 times the number of Home Office staff to tackle the problem, the number of foreign prisoners had actually risen, from 10,231 to 10,649. At the same time the numbers being removed each year had dropped under May’s watch to 5,097 in 2013/14.Despite employing nearly 10 times the number of Home Office staff to tackle the problem, the number of foreign prisoners had actually risen, from 10,231 to 10,649. At the same time the numbers being removed each year had dropped under May’s watch to 5,097 in 2013/14.
Cameron’s intervention could relieve some of the pressure on the home secretary, Theresa May, who will be well aware that Charles Clarke, when home secretary, was forced to resign in 2006 after neglecting the management of foreign national offenders. Cameron’s intervention could relieve some of the pressure on the home secretary, Theresa May, who will be well aware that Charles Clarke, when home secretary, was forced to resign in 2006 after neglecting the management of foreign offenders. May had to answer an urgent question in the Commons on Wednesday from Yvette Cooper, her Labour opposite number.
May had to answer an urgent question in the Commons on Wednesday from Yvette Cooper, her Labour opposite number.
Cameron told the Commons: “The buck absolutely stops with me, I’m very clear about that. I think the NAO has actually produced a very good report into what is a difficult issue to get right. We’ve deported 22,000 foreign national offenders since I’ve become prime minister. The report is very clear that since 2013, for the first time, we’ve got a proper cross-government strategy to deal with this.Cameron told the Commons: “The buck absolutely stops with me, I’m very clear about that. I think the NAO has actually produced a very good report into what is a difficult issue to get right. We’ve deported 22,000 foreign national offenders since I’ve become prime minister. The report is very clear that since 2013, for the first time, we’ve got a proper cross-government strategy to deal with this.
“It also goes into quite a lot of detail about how there are still too many obstacles in the way in terms of human rights legislation that we need to change.”“It also goes into quite a lot of detail about how there are still too many obstacles in the way in terms of human rights legislation that we need to change.”
Up to £1bn of public money was spent last year on managing and removing foreign criminals in the UK, the NAO report said. Up to £1bn of public money was spent last year on managing and removing foreign criminals in the UK, the NAO report said. The government’s spending watchdog warned that one in six foreign national offenders in the community – 760 in 4,200 – had absconded, including 58 “high harm” individuals missing since 2010.
The government’s spending watchdog warned that one in six foreign national offenders in the community – 760 in 4,200 – had absconded, including 58 “high harm” individuals missing since 2010. The NAO also found police were failing to conduct overseas criminal record checks on more than two-thirds of arrested foreign nationals. Serious concerns were recently raised over the effectiveness of police and border background checks following the case of Arnis Zalkalns (the prime suspect in the murder of Alice Gross) who had served seven years for killing his wife in his native Latvia.
The NAO also found police were failing to conduct overseas criminal record checks on more than two-thirds of arrested foreign nationals.
Serious concerns were recently raised over the effectiveness of police and border background checks following the case of Arnis Zalkalns (the prime suspect in the murder of Alice Gross) who had served seven years for killing his wife in his native Latvia.
Cooper challenged May to explain why the government had failed to improve the system of checking and monitoring foreign criminals, despite a series of warnings and an increase in spending.Cooper challenged May to explain why the government had failed to improve the system of checking and monitoring foreign criminals, despite a series of warnings and an increase in spending.
May responded by claiming that the report had pointed out that progress had already been made. “Let me begin by being clear that foreign nationals who abuse our hospitality by committing crime in this country should be in no doubt of our determination to remove them from it.”May responded by claiming that the report had pointed out that progress had already been made. “Let me begin by being clear that foreign nationals who abuse our hospitality by committing crime in this country should be in no doubt of our determination to remove them from it.”
She added: “It falls to this government to tackle the problems of the past. Quite simply, the Home Office did not prioritise the removal of foreign national offenders before 2005.She added: “It falls to this government to tackle the problems of the past. Quite simply, the Home Office did not prioritise the removal of foreign national offenders before 2005.
“It will take time to fix the problems we inherited, chief among them, as the NAO report makes clear, are the legal barriers we face. The countless appeals and re-appeals lodged by criminals attempting to cheat the system cost us all money and are an affront to British justice. This is why we passed the Immigration Act to clamp down on this abuse.”“It will take time to fix the problems we inherited, chief among them, as the NAO report makes clear, are the legal barriers we face. The countless appeals and re-appeals lodged by criminals attempting to cheat the system cost us all money and are an affront to British justice. This is why we passed the Immigration Act to clamp down on this abuse.”
In one case, politicians have been accused of having “blood on their hands” because of their failure to act on foreign criminals. The statement came from Paul Houston, the father of a 12-year-old Amy, who died in 2003 six weeks after a hit-and-run collision in Blackburn with a motorist, Aso Mohammed Ibrahim, an Iraqi-Kurdish asylum seeker who had previous convictions.In one case, politicians have been accused of having “blood on their hands” because of their failure to act on foreign criminals. The statement came from Paul Houston, the father of a 12-year-old Amy, who died in 2003 six weeks after a hit-and-run collision in Blackburn with a motorist, Aso Mohammed Ibrahim, an Iraqi-Kurdish asylum seeker who had previous convictions.
Houston told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that the failure to keep track of foreign offenders had ruined lives. “Ultimately, the responsibility falls on the politicians because what’s happened in the last 10 years has been a social experiment and we are the guinea pigs. The politicians have blood on their hands because families’ lives have been ruined and people have died because of this,” he said.Houston told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that the failure to keep track of foreign offenders had ruined lives. “Ultimately, the responsibility falls on the politicians because what’s happened in the last 10 years has been a social experiment and we are the guinea pigs. The politicians have blood on their hands because families’ lives have been ruined and people have died because of this,” he said.