Debate contribution: Prisoners: Foreign Nationals
Debate contribution by Mrs Naomi Long on .
- MLA
- Mrs Naomi Long
- Party at the time
- Alliance Party
- Date
- 30 June 2026
- Type
- Debate contribution (made as a minister)
- Business
- Oral Answers to Questions
- Heading
- Prisoners: Foreign Nationals
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5653228
Read the official Assembly record
Text
The Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 2016 introduced the early removal scheme for foreign national prisoners. The scheme allows fixed-term foreign national prisoners who are confirmed by Home Office immigration enforcement to be removed from the UK up to a maximum of 135 days before the end of their requisite custodial period. The early removal scheme is a non-mandatory scheme, and prisoners must be willing to leave the country voluntarily and apply for the scheme themselves.
The provisions apply to determinate-sentence prisoners only. That is where the exact length of the sentence is fixed by the court. Prisoners serving an extended custodial sentence, indeterminate sentence for public protection or a life sentence cannot be removed under the scheme.
The Northern Ireland Prison Service has no input into the Home Office’s decision-making process. A warranted immigration officer is embedded within the Northern Ireland Prison Service estate at HMP Maghaberry, HMP Magilligan and HMP Hydebank Wood to manage immigration matters relating to foreign national individuals in custody. Their role includes progressing appropriate enforcement action, including removals and deportations. The scheme is promoted by the immigration officer to every remand and sentenced foreign national prisoner verbally within a month of committal and by the issuing of an explanatory leaflet. NIPS staff will explain the early removal process to any prisoner who is eligible to apply under the scheme when completing planned contacts. This includes at the committal interview stage when foreign national prisoners are asked whether, if they meet the criteria for the early removal scheme, they would be interested in applying for consideration by the Home Office. Information is also contained in a sentence booklet that every prisoner receives when meeting their sentence manager for the first time. Any queries can also be addressed at monthly foreign national forums.
296 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Assessment
Awaiting analysis
This record has not been analysed yet. It is not counted in any total until it has been assessed.
Disagree with this assessment?
Classifications can be challenged. A person reviews every challenge, and any change is recorded publicly above with its reason.