Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoner transfer agreements were negotiated in 2015 and 2016; and with which countries those agreements were made.

In 2015 and 2016 prisoner transfer arrangements were negotiated with Iraq, Ghana, and Taiwan. The Agreements with Iraq and with Ghana are subject to ratification and are not yet in force.

The absence of a prisoner transfer agreement does not prevent the removal of an individual. Those who have no right to remain here will be deported and removed from the UK. Where possible, the UK will seek to remove Foreign National Offenders held in custody through the Early Removal Scheme or seek their deportation at the completion of the prison sentence.

We are committed to increasing the number of Foreign National Offenders removed from our prisons, whether they are removed through Prisoner Transfer Agreement or the Early Removal Scheme. Last year we removed the highest number of offenders since records began with a total of 5,810 offenders removed from prisons, immigration removal centres and the community.