‘This is no way to run a government department’: Home Office is blasted by watchdog over its failure to kick out foreign criminals
- The Home Office has been criticised for failing to remove foreign criminals
- It comes as three judges agreed by two to one that Rwanda scheme was illegal
The Home Office was blasted today over its failure to kick out foreign criminals by a watchdog who concluded: ‘This is no way to run a government department.’
The findings of a damning inspection – quietly slipped out on the day of the Rwanda court ruling – found performance was ‘not efficient’ with an ‘unacceptable’ lack of data or workable systems.
The number of foreign national offenders who have been deported has fallen by more than half in recent years, Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration David Neal revealed.
Even those ‘desperate’ to be sent home were frustrated by lengthy delays, while a scheme to give departing offenders £1,500 is at risk of abuse as they can sneak back into the UK afterwards.
Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said tonight: ‘While all eyes are on the Government’s chaotic Rwanda policy, this is a shameful attempt by the Home Secretary to slip out a damning report into her failing management of foreign national offenders.
Home Office was blasted today over its failure to kick out foreign criminals by a watchdog who concluded: ‘This is no way to run a government department’ (Pictured: Home Secretary Suella Braverman)
Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said tonight: ‘While all eyes are on the Government’s chaotic Rwanda policy, this is a shameful attempt by the Home Secretary to slip out a damning report into her failing management of foreign national offenders’
READ MORE: COURT OF APPEAL RULES RWANDA POLICY IS ‘UNLAWFUL’
‘The number of foreign national offender removals has plummeted and Suella Braverman’s Home Office is failing badly on data and casework. Her failure to follow basic warnings from the Inspectorate has left more dangerous criminals on the streets, putting public safety at risk.’
The report said the Home Office was managing the cases of 21,094 foreign offenders, including 6,030 in jail, 1,036 in immigration detention and 13,212 living in the community. Yet the number removed from the UK has dropped from a high of 6,437 in 2016 to just 2,676 in 2021 due to Covid restrictions and legal challenges.
The Home Office’s own systems were also found to be hindering progress, with a new case management program called Atlas creating ‘significant challenges’.
Inspectors looked at a spreadsheet containing 558 ongoing cases but found 242 duplicates along with details of 49 British citizens, one person who had died and three who had long been deported.
A spokesman for the department insisted: ‘This report does not reflect the full complexities of returning foreign national offenders, or the significant impact Covid had on our operations.’
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