Jails choked by 10,000 foreign prisoners two years after ministers promised a clear-out
There has been a net reduction of just 678 foreign inmates since 2014 when government declared it a 'top priority'
NEARLY 10,000 foreign criminals are packed into overcrowded jails two years after a promised blitz.
The Sun on Sunday has obtained official figures showing that 9,971 foreign lags are behind bars.
It means a net reduction of just 678 foreign inmates since 2014, when the then-Justice Secretary Jeremy Wright said cutting the number was a top priority for the Government.
The worst offenders come from Poland, with 965 lags locked up, compared to 989 in 2014.
Ireland placed second with 762 inmates, compared to 778 two years ago.
Romania is third with 702 behind bars, compared to 588 in 2014.
Jamaica has slipped to fourth, with 532 in jail, compared to 711 two years ago.
They are followed by Albania, Lithuania, Pakistan, Somalia, India and Nigeria.
Britain has schemes with 70 countries, including compulsory prisoner transfer agreements (PTA).
This mandatory agreement will ensure foreign criminals will be deported after sentence.
However, PTAs are difficult to enforce, even in the EU, which has agreed to the scheme. Poland will not enact it until December 2016.
And the Irish have not acted yet - and there are no plans to deport their citizens.
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Other agreements include the Early Removal Scheme (ERS), for foreign inmates who have served half their sentence.
However, this only works if the prisoner and their country of origin agree to the move.
The UK relies on a system of deporting foreign convicts after they have completed their sentences.
Under current legislation, all offenders from outside the European Union jailed for more than 12 months are referred for automatic deportation.
In most cases, offenders from the EU can also be deported after two years; one year for sex attacks.
However, criminals can appeal, placing a financial burden on the UK.
In 2014, then Justice Secretary Jeremy Wright told the Sunday People: “The foreign national prisoner population is lower than in 2010 and reducing
it further is a top priority for this Government.
“We are working hard to reduce the numbers in our prison system - in 2013 alone we deported more than 4,500 foreign criminals from the UK.”
Jo Stevens, Labour Shadow Justice Minister said: “Labour has repeatedly pressed the Government to do more to ensure that foreign criminals are deported.
“The mechanisms to do this are there, because of our EU membership.
“If we left the EU we would go back to a system of prisoner transfer with absolutely no ability to deport any prisoners to their country of origin.
“Our EU membership continues to help protect us against crime, terrorism and threats to our security —yet more reasons to vote to remain on 23rd June.”
An MoJ spokesman said: “We will exploit all options to remove those who have broken our laws.”
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