HC Deb 21 April 1999 vol 329 c579W
Mr. Clappison

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many deportation orders were(a) signed and (b) enforced in each of the last three years for which figures are available. [78636]

Mr. Mike O'Brien

[holding answer 29 March 1999]: The information requested is given in the table. It should be noted that some deportation orders may not be immediately executable because of legal reasons, or other barriers to removal such as absconding, and that in some cases where a deportation order has been signed, it is later decided that deportation is no longer appropriate. The Government will further reduce the use of Deportation Orders under the Immigration and Asylum Bill by increasing the use of administrative removal.

Deportation action 1996–981
Number of persons
Deportation orders signed Deportation orders enforced2
1996 1,880 900
1997 1,200 820
19981 980 690
11998 data are provisional
2A deportation order enforced in one year may have been signed in an earlier year. It should be noted that some deportation orders may not be immediately executable because of legal reasons, or other barriers to removal such as absconding, and that in some cases where a deportation order has been signed it is later decided that deportation is no longer appropriate.

Note:

All figures are rounded to the nearest 10.