Action on criminals welcome

THE new plan to deport foreign criminals on conviction, instead of a third of the way through their sentences, is welcome.

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While it feels like a knee-jerk response to protests at asylum hotels, if it goes some way to discouraging them, that is welcome, too.

If the government's plan can be made to work, it will save the taxpayer shedloads of money, as it costs an average £54,000 a year to keep each prisoner behind bars. And there are 10,000 foreigners in British jails.