Written questions by Lowe.

How many contracts awarded to outside companies for the provision of services related to (a) refugees and (b) asylum have gone over budget in the last ten years.

The Home Office applies robust controls to the management of expenditure and performance in relation to all departmental contracts, including publishing on a quarterly basis the rating of the most important contracts against key performance indicators.The specific information requested regarding a particular category of contracts is not centrally held, and could only be collected and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.

Whether her Department conducted any audits into services provided by contractors to refugees and asylum seekers in the last five years.

The Home Office applies robust controls to the management of expenditure and performance in relation to all departmental contracts, including publishing on a quarterly basis the rating of the most important contracts against key performance indicators.The specific information requested regarding a particular category of contracts is not centrally held, and could only be collected and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.

With reference to her Department's contract entitled Refugee Employability Programme - Lot 6 (East of England), procurement reference CF-0334100D58000000L5A4EAK, what the total number of service users is.

I refer the Honourable Member to my response to Question 30479 dated 21st February 2025.

With reference to her Department's contract entitled Refugee Employability Programme - Lot 1 (North West), procurement reference CF-0319600D58000000L5A4EAK, what the total number of service users is.

I refer the Honourable Member to my response to Question 30479 dated 21st February 2025.

With reference to her Department's contract entitled Refugee Employability Programme - Lot 4 (West Midlands), procurement reference CF-0333700D58000000L5A4EAK, what the total number of service users is.

I refer the Honourable Member to my response to Question 30479 dated 21st February 2025.

What proportion of estates paid inheritance tax in 2024.

The Government publishes the latest Inheritance Tax liabilities statistics at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/inheritance-tax-liabilities-statistics. Table 12.1 of the Inheritance Tax liabilities statistics has the proportions of UK deaths liable and not liable to tax charge. In the latest available tax year, which is currently 2021-22, 4.39% (27,800) of UK deaths (634,000) resulted in an IHT charge. The data for 2024 is currently not available, since IHT payment does not have to be settled until six months after the end of the month in which the person died. Executors are also given 12 months to file tax returns. Along with other considerations, the latest year of death for which detailed analyses are normally given is two full years before the start of the current tax year. In OBR’s latest economic and fiscal outlook, OBR has forecasted the proportion of deaths subject to inheritance tax to be 5.8% in 2024-25. The table containing the forecast can be found at https://obr.uk/download/october-2024-economic-and-fiscal-outlook-detailed-forecast-tables-receipts/?tmstv=1741257233.

With reference to her Department's contract entitled Refugee Employability Programme, procurement reference CF-0276700D58000000L5A4EAK, what the total number of service users is.

I refer the Honourable Member to my response to Question 30479 dated 21st February 2025.

With reference to her Department's contract entitled Refugee Employability Programme - Lot 7 (London), procurement reference CF-0334200D58000000L5A4EAK, what the total number of service users is.

I refer the Honourable Member to my response to Question 30479 dated 21st February 2025.

With reference to her Department's contract entitled Refugee Employability Programme - Lot 8 (South West), procurement reference CF-0334500D58000000L5A4EAK, what the total number of service users is.

I refer the Honourable Member to my response to Question 30479 dated 21st February 2025.

With reference to her Department's contract entitled Refugee Employability Programme - Lot 3 (Yorkshire & Humber), procurement reference CF-0333600D58000000L5A4EAK, what the total number of service users is.

I refer the Honourable Member to my response to Question 30479 dated 21st February 2025.

With reference to her Department's contract entitled Refugee Employability Programme - Lot 5 (East Midlands), procurement reference CF-0334000D58000000L5A4EAK, what the total number of service users is.

I refer the Honourable Member to my response to Question 30479 dated 21st February 2025.

What information his Department holds on the number of deported foreign national offenders that have illegally re-entered the UK in the last 12 months.

A deportation order requires a person to leave the UK and prohibits them from lawfully entering the UK while it remains in force. The Home Office does not hold the requested data given that – by definition – anyone we know to be trying to enter the UK illegally will be refused entry.

How many and what proportion of deportations for involvement in grooming gangs did not take place due to the individual renouncing non-UK citizenship.

I refer the Honourable Member to the Answer he was given on 28 January to Question UIN 25838.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing lifetime entry bans for deported foreign national offenders.

A deportation order requires a person to leave the UK and prohibits them from lawfully entering the UK while it remains in force. The Home Office does not hold the requested data given that – by definition – anyone we know to be trying to enter the UK illegally will be refused entry.

With reference to her Department's press release entitled Foreign criminals to be deported quicker, published on 3 March 2025, what steps she plans to take to mitigate potential challenges in deporting FNOs who originate from (a) countries with unstable political situations and (b) countries that lack repatriation agreements with the UK.

The Government is committed to delivering justice for victims and safer streets for our communities. In the event that a foreign national is found guilty of a crime, we will take strong action against them in the interests of public safety and protection. Any foreign national who is convicted of a crime and given a prison sentence is considered for deportation at the earliest opportunity, and where there are barriers that delay us from enforcing those deportations, we will always do our upmost to overcome them.

What steps she has taken to ensure timely information sharing between prison authorities and immigration enforcement agencies.

The sharing of information between the Home Office and HMPPS is essential to carry out the effective operation of the immigration and justice systems.Foreign national offenders (FNOs) are referred to the Home Office for deportation immediately following sentencing by HM Prisons and Probation Service (HMPPS).The Home Office has Immigration Prison Teams (IPTs), whose officers are based in prisons and meet regularly with Offender Management Units to discuss and share information about FNOs. In addition, HMPPS have also recently announced a 12-month pilot to ringfence FNO Liaison Officers in roles designed to speed up FNO removals.The Home Office continues to work closely with HMPPS to maximise removals directly from prison. Between 5 July 2024 and 31 January 2025, 1,557 ERS returns have taken place, which is a 26% increase compared to 1,231 in the same period 12 months prior.

How many and what proportion of foreign national offenders released under the Early Removal Scheme have reoffended in each of the last five years.

The Early Removal Scheme (ERS) removes foreign national offenders (FNOs) from England and Wales. We do not monitor their behaviour overseas.Between 05 July 2024 and 31 January 2025, 2,925 FNOs have been removed from England and Wales – 21% more than the 2,422 in the same period 12 months prior under the previous Government.There have been 1,557 ERS removals from prison – a 26% increase compared to the same period 12 months prior (1,231) under the previous Government.

With reference to her Department's press release entitled Foreign criminals to be deported quicker, published on 3 March 2025, what estimate she has made of the long-term financial savings from this initiative.

The period 05 July 2024 to 31 January 2025 saw the removal of 2,925 foreign national prisoners serving sentences in prison or in the community. That is 21% more than during the equivalent period 12 months previously, under the previous Government. 1,557 of these offenders were removed from prisons under the Early Removal Scheme – a 26% increase compared with the equivalent period 12 months previously.The measures we announced on 03 March, which are part of the wider work we are undertaking to manage prison capacity pressures, will support the deportation process overseen by the Home Office. The Home Office reports to Parliament on immigration matters and regularly publishes statistics on the number of foreign national offenders who have been deported. The Ministry of Justice regularly reports on prison capacity and the decisive action we are taking to manage this.The removal of foreign national offenders who have no right to remain in the United Kingdom reduces costs to the taxpayer and helps to protect the public. It is not possible to identify separately the saving that will be generated from this initiative, as it forms one part of the wider range of measures we are taking.Our initial estimate is that £4.5 million will be spent on personnel and £500,000 on training and operational costs. The investment will create 82 specialist roles to oversee removals from jails. Staff will be in post and fully operational by 01 April.

What is the current backlog of deportation cases; and what estimate she has made of how long the average case takes.

I refer the Honourable Member to the Answer given on 6 March to Question UIN 34052.

How many and what proportion of Foreign National Offenders are eligible for deportation.

I refer the Honourable Member to the Answer given on 6 March to Question UIN 34052.