HC Deb 26 February 1912 vol 34 c972
Viscount WOLMER

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state how many aliens have been convicted of crimes and minor offences since 1st January, 1906; and how many of these have been deported?

The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. McKenna)

It is not possible to say how many aliens have been convicted of offences since 1st January, 1906. The only information available is given yearly in the Reports under the Aliens Act, and relates to the aliens received into prison on conviction. Taking the figures already published for the years 1906 to 1910 and provisional figures for 1911, it appears that in the six years 16,878 convicted aliens have been received into prisons in the United Kingdom. Of these 2,378 were recommended by the Courts for expulsion and 2,173 expulsion orders have been made.

Mr. HARRY LAWSON

Are the Courts of Justice tending to a more uniform practice in exercising their powers under the Act than the right hon. Gentleman's predecessor stated they were last Session, and have any further instructions been issued from the Home Office in regard to powers under the Act?

Mr. SPEAKER

That hardly arises out of the question.

Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKE

How many of those aliens, having been deported, have returned to the country and been deported a second time?

Mr. McKENNA

That is obviously a question of which I must have notice.