Jump in foreign prisoner numbers (From Watford Observer)

Jump in foreign prisoner numbers

1:15pm Wednesday 22nd August 2007 in News

There has been a steep rise in foreign national prisoners at The Mount prison in Bovingdon.

MP for South West Hertfordshire, David Gauke, criticised the Government for failing to address the rise in the foreign national prisoner population.

His comments follow the release this week of the annual report of the Independent Monitoring Board for HMP The Mount.

The report revealed that from February 28, 2006 to February 28, 2007, the foreign national prisoner population grew by 19 per cent to 42 per centof the total population.

He said: "The Government has consistently failed to address the issue of these prisoners. We incarcerate a huge numbers of foreign criminals in the UK, at the cost of £1m per day to the British taxpayer and, even at the end of sentences, are failing to deport them.

"The increased number of foreign criminals in the UK is putting a huge strain on our prisons, including The Mount, with overcrowding a big problem."

The annual report also indicates that there is concern over the high cost of telephone calls provided to foreign national prisoners who do not receive family visits.

According to the report, the current allowance of one free five-minute monthly call, "is not sufficient to maintain close family ties".

Mr Gauke said that most immigrants make a good contribution to the country but if we had greater control and a more effective deportation system we would be preventing some of these problems.

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