A migration expert has claimed that "people are entitled to more" with the Home Secretary is set to announce plans to publish data showing the nationalities and crimes of foreign offenders awaiting deportation.
Robert Bates from the Centre for Migration Control told GB News that while the disclosure was "welcome", it would only cover around 20,000 people awaiting deportation.
The government had previously promised to release more comprehensive data from May, but has since "backtracked", Bates said.
Government sources said the disclosure was made possible after Cooper ordered Home Office statisticians to overhaul their systems.
Robert Bates said the "public are entitled to more"
GB NEWS
Officials had previously cited poor data quality when refusing to answer questions about foreign offenders' nationalities.
Bates said: "It seems that the Labour Party's plans are not to publish as much data as I believe the British public is actually entitled to.
"This, of course, pertains only to those in the country awaiting deportation—around 20,000 people.
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"As you mentioned, we've been working long hours into the night to get our hands on actual data regarding convictions across the board, specifically for indictable offences.
"Between 2021 and 2023, there were over 100,000 convictions of foreign nationals in the UK. I think that gives a sense of the scale and highlights just how little is actually being disclosed under the current plans.
"Of course, it’s welcome that some of this data is being published, but we know that much deeper and more detailed data exists within the Ministry of Justice.
"I would hope that ministers will eventually commit to publishing that data regularly."
"At one point, we were told by the Ministry of Justice that they would begin doing so from May—something they have since backtracked on.
"So yes, while this is an encouraging sign, there is still much more that needs to be done."
Latest figures show 19,244 foreign offenders were awaiting deportation at the end of 2024, an increase from 17,907 when the Conservatives left office in July.
The number has risen significantly from 14,640 at the end of 2022.
Labour has deported 3,594 offenders in their first nine months in power
GB NEWS/ Centre for migration control
Despite this increase, Labour has deported 3,594 offenders in their first nine months in power.
A Home Office source highlighted this represented a 16 per cent increase in deportations compared to the same period in the previous year.
A Home Office source said: "Any foreign national who abuses our country's hospitality and commits serious crimes should be in no doubt that they will face the full force of the law, and be removed from the UK at the earliest opportunity."
