Overview

• A Labour-commissioned review led by David Gauke recommends deporting foreign offenders immediately or after serving just 12% of their sentences to address severe prison overcrowding.
• The proposed changes would amend the existing early removal scheme, reducing the threshold from 50% to 30% of a sentence served before deportation eligibility.
• Foreign prisoners serving sentences under three years could face immediate deportation under the new recommendations, potentially freeing thousands of prison spaces.
• The review highlights potential cost savings for taxpayers, with the average annual cost of imprisoning a foreign inmate currently at £54,000.
• Legal hurdles, including challenges under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, remain unresolved, with Home Secretary Yvette Cooper separately examining these issues.