HC Deb 22 February 1983 vol 37 cc391-2W
Mr. Arthur Lewis

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he will deport Mr. Mohibullah Khan, found guilty at Reading on 11 February of smuggling almost £600,000 of heroin and other drugs into the United Kingdom, on the completion of his prison sentence;

(2) whether he will deport Mr. Hidayat Ullah, found guilty at Reading on 11 February of smuggling almost £600,000 of heroin and other drugs into the United Kingdom, on the completion of his prison sentence.

Mr. Waddington

Both men were recommended for deportation by the court which convicted them, under powers conferred by the Immigration Act 1971. As I explained to the hon. Gentleman in my answer to him of 25 January—[Vol. 35, c.365]—my right hon. Friend's practice is to act upon such a recommendation unless there are compelling reasons for not doing so. However, the Act provides that no deportation order may be made on such a recommendation so long as it is open to the person concerned to bring an appeal against the conviction or recommendation, or while such an appeal is pending, and in both these cases the time for bringing an appeal has not yet expired.