Debate contribution: Prisoners: Early Removal Scheme
Debate contribution by Mrs Naomi Long on .
- MLA
- Mrs Naomi Long
- Party at the time
- Alliance Party
- Date
- 19 October 2026
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Oral Answers to Questions
- Heading
- Prisoners: Early Removal Scheme
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5795795
Read the official Assembly record
Text
The early removal scheme introduced by the Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 2016 allows eligible foreign national prisoners who are serving a fixed-term, determinate sentence to be removed from the UK up to 135 days before the end of their requisite custodial period, subject to agreement by the Home Office. The scheme is voluntary and applies only to prisoners serving determinate sentences. Those serving life sentences, indeterminate sentences for public protection or extended custodial sentences are not eligible. A number of eligible prisoners choose not to participate, often because they wish to pursue asylum claims, challenge deportation decisions or remain in the UK due to family circumstances. Decisions on deportation and removal ultimately rest with the Home Office, and removal can proceed only where the Home Office is able to effect that removal during the relevant period. Given the relatively small number of prisoners currently using the scheme in Northern Ireland and the lack of evidence that extending the current 135-day period would lead to a significant increase in removals, I do not consider there to be a compelling case for change at this time. Accordingly, I have no plans to introduce a statutory rule to amend the current arrangements before the end of the mandate.
205 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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