asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many dangerous foreign nationals are still at large and why 200 released from prison are not going to be deported.

My Lords, this is part of the information on foreign national prisoners that the Immigration and Nationality Directorate has been asked to recheck. The director general of the IND confirmed the position to the Home Affairs Committee, and I cannot provide any information in advance of that. He explained to it that there were around 200 cases with an initial decision not to proceed with deportation. A review process is in train, which means that these cases are being reconsidered.

My Lords, I thank the Minister for that half-Answer. Will he comment on what the new Immigration Minister said about the possibility of there being no deportation and an amnesty for these people?

My Lords, subsequent to that it has been made clear that there is no amnesty. That remains the Government's position.

My Lords, does the Minister have any figures that compare the reoffending rates of foreign nationals convicted of serious criminal offences with our own nationals similarly convicted? Are they higher or lower?

My Lords, I do not have those figures. I am happy to write to the noble Lord with any information that can be gleaned. My understanding is that the figures in any event are likely to be broadly similar.

My Lords, with how many countries have we signed the memorandum of understanding about their nationals being deported from this country? What will happen where no such understanding exists?

My Lords, in answer to the noble Lord's second question, if it is not safe to deport people to a country such as Somalia, then we do not undertake to do that. I do not have the precise number of countries in relation to his first question, but undertake to write to him on that point.

My Lords, on 3 May in Another place the Prime Minister said:

"One part of dealing with this is taking measures now to legislate so that everyone who is a foreign national who serves a prison sentence is automatically deported".—[Hansard, Commons, 3/5/06; col. 963.]

When do the Government expect to fulfil that undertaking?

My Lords, it would be wrong of me at this stage to anticipate additions to the legislative programme. Clearly, we are looking very carefully at this issue. I am sure the noble Viscount shares my assumption that there will be an automatic presumption to deport.

My Lords, will my noble friend confirm that some countries will not issue passports or travel documents to those of their nationals whom we wish to deport? That is one of the problems facing the Home Office.

My Lords, the noble Lord is absolutely right. One of the great difficulties in deporting foreign national prisoners is a lack of documentation. Receiving countries will not receive if no documents are available, and certainly if no passport is available.

My Lords, will the Minister explain on what basis he is not giving this House information, when the same information is presumably about to be revealed to a Select Committee of Another place?

My Lords, it would be discourteous to the Home Affairs Committee—

Noble Lords:

Oh!

My Lords, a promise and commitment has been made by the director general that that information will be provided to the Select Committee first.

My Lords, I put down a Question for Written Answer on 26 April asking whether convicted foreign prisoners who had been recommended for deportation were entitled to apply for asylum. I received the reply only yesterday—nine weeks later. Does he understand the reply I received? I do not.

My Lords, the noble Lord has me worried. I will go away and read that reply very carefully; I apologise to him for the length of time that it took to reply to his Written Question.

My Lords, is it policy to deport foreign nationals to countries where torture is regularly practised in the absence of the memorandum of understanding? Do the Government intend to renege on our obligations under the convention against torture?

My Lords, this Government would not renege on that policy. Of course we do not want to place any individual in a position where they are going to be tortured if they are returned to an unsafe country. That is not the Government's policy. Our policy is to deport those dangerous criminals who have served time in prison and should rightly be returned to their country of origin.

My Lords, is the Minister aware of the case of the Ghanaian detainee in Haslar who was deported three times by the Home Office? He got only as far as the airport and was then returned to detention. Does the Minister know whether that person has been deported, because his papers were in order?

My Lords, it is not policy or practice to discuss individual cases at the Dispatch Box. I am not aware of all the details of that case. I am happy to take the point away and ensure that the noble Earl is corresponded with on the issue.

My Lords, does the Minister accept that we consider that his brief has been entirely unsatisfactory today?

My Lords, I do not accept that at all. I have attempted to answer all questions that have been put to me. If I do not have the information in front of me, clearly I cannot provide it, but in every circumstance I undertake to provide as much information as I can and particular points will be responded to in correspondence.