The Home Secretary has defended cash cards containing up to £2,000 being handed to foreign criminals as they are deported from Britain.
Shabana Mahmood admitted that it “doesn't look good” for serious offenders to be given taxpayer money when leaving the UK, but argued it was the cheaper option overall.
Video footage taken on a deportation flight from Heathrow shows a group of 47 criminals, including people convicted of killings, theft and sexual abuse, being taken back to Romania part way through their jail terms.
They had all come to the UK legally but forfeited their right to remain by committing serious offences.
As part of the Government's Facilitated Return Scheme the migrants were given up to £2,000 to persuade them to volunteer to leave Britain.
They were told to withdraw the cash once they arrive back in their home country.
Asked about the cash cards Ms Mahmood said: "Out of context, it's not great, it doesn't look good."
She told ITV: “A voluntary removal is actually cheaper for the British taxpayer. It has long been the case that we do offer financial packages as an incentive to people to drop their claims and drop the attempts they make to stay in our country, and to board a flight and leave.”
Footage shows foreign criminals preparing for deportation at a centre near Heathrow.
Some 5,000 foreign national offenders were removed from the country last year.
More than 10,000 inmates from abroad are currently serving time in the UK's crowded prisons, with the Government insisting it is prioritising their removal.
Ms Mahmood vowed to increase the number of deportations.
"I will be ramping up the numbers and I hope to say more about that in the weeks to come," she said.
"You start with a small first step and then you ramp up, which is exactly what we're going to be doing.
"We have a clear agreement with the French, we will want to see those numbers increase...I'm not going to get ahead of operational decisions.
"I want us to get to a point where the numbers that are being removed are acting as a deterrent and stop people getting on the boats in the first place. We have proved it can work, we've got flights off the ground, more are going this week, and we will be looking to ramp up the numbers."
