HMP Wandsworth has admitted to releasing two prisoners mistakenly in a week
A 24-year-old Algerian sex offender, Brahim Kaddour-Cherif, was released from the London prison on Wednesday 29 October - 35-year-old William Smith, convicted of fraud, was released on Monday, 3 November
The BBC understands the Algerian man is not an asylum seeker but had overstayed his visit visa, with a "probably over-stayer" case created in 2020
The news of Kaddour-Cherif's release broke after the Conservatives' James Cartlidge pressed deputy PM David Lammy on whether any asylum seekers had been mistakenly released since Hadush Kebatu last month
Lammy did not answer directly at PMQs - but the BBC understands he did know about the Algerian's release, having been told overnight
A spokesman for PM Keir Starmer calls the latest mistaken release of the Algerian prisoner "unacceptable" and says the circumstances will be "forensically" looked at
Brahim Kaddour-Cherif - who was released in error last week - being arrested in September
The SNP's Westminster leader Stephen Flynn also questions Lammy on the upcoming Budget - due on 26 November.
"Can he confirm to the public that if they see anything suspicious on tax at the Budget they should report it," Flynn asks.
Lammy replies: "The SNP will say anything to distract from their appalling record.
"We will see what is in the budget later on this month."
Image source, UK ParliamentThere's a question from backbench Labour MP Tristan Osborne on Kent County Council, which is currently led by Reform.
He asks how Lammy will ensure that higher standards are delivered in local government.
Lammy jokes that he sees Clacton MP Nigel Farage in his seat, noting it's "maybe the first time I've seen him" at PMQs.
He says that in local councils, Reform are "delivering on the chaos they promised".
Lammy goes on to condemn the "disgraceful racist language" used by Reform MP Sarah Pochin last week, which he says "belongs in the dark ages".
Chris Mason
Political editor, at the House of Commons
What an intriguing set of exchanges between David Lammy and James Cartlidge.
Cartlidge’s persistence in asking the same, very specific question repeatedly, and Lammy’s persistent reluctance to address it directly raised a few eyebrows here.
I half expected Cartlidge, in his final question, to tell MPs there was another case of an asylum seeker being released from prison by accident.
But no such example came. We’ll speak to the Ministry of Justice and try to get to the bottom of it.
Image source, UK ParliamentCooper says families are struggling with a cost-of-living crisis and yet "the chancellor is preparing to increase taxes".
But meanwhile, Cooper says, high interest rates and Treasury rules are seeing big banks making billions in "windfall" profits.
The Lib Dem MP asks Lammy if it is fairer to tax struggling families or big banks.
Lammy says the Conservative-Lib Dem coalition implemented austerity, and says the chancellor will do everything she can to invest in the NHS and public services.
Next up is Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper who first echoes the tributes from Lammy and Cartlidge paid to those affected by the Cambridgeshire stabbings over the weekend.
Turning to her first question, Cooper claims "rights and freedoms are under a threat in a way we have not seen since the Second World War".
She asks Lammy what will it take for the government to act on Vladimir Putin's interference in democracies and to stop Elon Musk "inciting violence on our streets".
Lammy reflects on his previous role as foreign secretary and talks through the national security strategy and the strategic defence strategy.
"They set this country in the best place possible to face down those threats that she refers to," Lammy says.
Chris Mason
Political editor, at the House of Commons
Image source, UK Parliament/PADeputy Prime Minister David Lammy has acquired a poppy mid way through PMQs.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson, sitting next to him, attached it to his jacket.
The Conservative Party Chairman Kevin Hollinrake and Reform Deputy Leader Richard Tice had both pointed out that Lammy wasn’t wearing one.
Brian Wheeler
Reporting from the House of Commons
Image source, UK ParliamentBit of confusion there, as James Cartlidge thought he had one more question.
He was keen to hit back at David Lammy’s refusal to answer his repeated question about whether any further asylum seekers have been mistakenly released.
Speaker Hoyle initially gave him the nod. But he then appeared to change his mind, saying he was right - Cartlidge had used up all six of his questions.
It was a novice’s error by Cartlidge perhaps, but Lammy will be relieved that the heat is off him.
Cartlidge persists in pressing Lammy to answer the question of whether the government can reassure the House no other asylum-seeking offender has been mistakenly released from prison.
He says the public are rightly concerned about the Kebatu case.
Lammy is animated as he responds, telling Cartlidge that in 25 years he has not witnessed a more "shameful spectacle" than the state the Conservative party left the prison and justice systems in.
Image source, UK ParliamentAmid a noisy chamber, Cartlidge repeats his question to Lammy, "just in case he didn't hear me".
Can he reassure the House that since Kebatu's release, no other asylum seeking offender has been accidentally let out of prison?
Lammy responds that he spent 14 years in opposition, saying he did "a hell of a lot better" than Cartlidge has.
He stresses that he's already answered the question, and reiterates that "prisons were in a mess" under the Tories' watch.
"We've deported more in the last year than they deported in five years," he adds.
Cartlidge repeats his question: Can Lammy reassure the House that since Kebatu was released no other asylum-seeking offender has been accidentally let out of prison?
Lammy tells Cartlidge to "get a grip", and then says an investigation is under way to get to the bottom of what happened.
He says there have been spikes in accidental releases since 2021, under the Tories, and asks Cartlidge when he came to the House to apologise.
'Get a grip man!' - David Lammy takes PMQs in Commons
Image source, UK ParliamentCartlidge again presses Lammy on whether other asylum seeking offenders were accidentally discharged from prison since Kebatu was released in error at the end of last month.
Lammy responds by saying after Kebatu's accidental release he "put in the toughest checks we have ever had in the prison system".
He says it is important Dame Lynne Owens, who is heading a review of the release, gets to the bottom of her work. He then hits back at the Tories for leaving a "complicated system" that Lammy insists the Labour government is trying to fix.
Cartlidge pushes Lammy to apologise for Kebatu's release during PMQs.
He then asks Lammy whether he can reassure the House that since Kebatu was released, "no other asylum-seeking offender has been accidentally let out of prison".
Lammy replies that "of course" he already apologised over the error. He then points the finger at Cartlidge, who was previously a justice minister "who let our prisons get into that state into the first place".
Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy replies that Cartlidge must have missed the debate where he apologised for the anxiety caused while Kebatu was at large.
He says he repeats that sentiment again now, adding that it is important an investigation gets to the bottom of how Kebatu came to be mistakenly released.
Image source, UK ParliamentCartlidge says that overnight the father of the girl assaulted in Epping by migrant sex offender Hadush Kebatu - who was later released by accident before being detained - said the government had failed them relentlessly.
He asks Lammy if he will apologise to the family.
Chris Mason
Political editor, at the House of Commons
Hello from the Press Gallery of the House of Commons. It is the 'B' teams today – with the prime minister away.
The Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy is answering for the government.
James Cartlidge, the shadow defence secretary, is standing in for Kemi Badenoch.
The Conservatives have a recent convention of alternating who gets to stand in for their leader at PMQs.
Image source, UK ParliamentDavid Lammy, who is covering PMQs for Keir Starmer today, gets to his feet in the Commons to cheers from the Labour backbenchers.
The deputy prime minister begins by explaining Starmer is on his way to Brazil for the COP conference. He also pays tribute to those impacted by the series of stabbings on the LNER train in Cambridgeshire over the weekend.
"We thanks our emergency services for their outstanding professionalism," Lammy says. He also recognises that Remembrance Sunday falls this weekend.
Brian Wheeler
Reporting from the House of Commons
Rishi Sunak is in the Commons for PMQs.
The former PM is rarely seen on the Tory benches at these sessions. He is all smiles as he chats with backbench colleagues.
His former deputy Oliver Dowden is in the row behind. Moral support for debutant James Cartlidge perhaps.
Although some Tories seem to be giving the session a miss. There are a few gaps on their benches as it’s about to get under way.
Sunak is trying to catch the Speaker’s eye to ask a question.
David Lammy and James Cartlidge are in the Commons, signalling the start of PMQs.
We'll bring you text updates of the pair's back and forth when it gets going, and you can also watch live at the top of the page.
Our political colleagues will also bring you analysis, so stick with us.
Peter Barnes
BBC political analyst
Image source, ReutersThe UK signed a treaty in May to hand over sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius while preserving UK control of the Diego Garcia military base for at least 99 years.
A bill is passing through Parliament to implement the treaty in UK law. It’s already gone through the House of Commons.
On Tuesday, the bill had its second reading in the House of Lords and this passed, normally enough, without a vote. The next stage for the bill is committee stage but, unusually, the government pulled the motion to send the bill to committee.
Typically such motions pass without any discussion but the Conservatives had tabled an amendment to delay committee stage until the government had conducted a consultation of Chagossians about the impact of the treaty on them, and published a report. The government was apparently worried it would lose a vote on the amendment – they don’t have a majority in the House of Lords – so they withdrew the motion instead.
So now the bill is stuck. The government says the amendment would effectively have blocked it because it didn’t allow enough time to conduct a proper consultation, but they’ll need to find a way to convince enough members of the House of Lords to allow the bill to proceed.
Brian Wheeler
Reporting from the House of Commons
Kemi Badenoch sometimes likes to keep everyone guessing over the choice of a “deputy” to stand in for her at prime minister’s questions when the PM is away.
Robert Jenrick, seen by many as a potential leadership challenger to Badenoch, would no doubt have relished the chance to strut his stuff on the PMQs stage.
And as a shadow justice secretary, he is David Lammy’s opposite number on the Tory benches, even if he is not the shadow deputy prime minister.
But today, we understand, it is shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge who will get his turn in the spotlight.
That’s because the Conservatives will most likely want to put pressure on the government over the £3.4bn deal to hand over sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. This falls under Cartlidge’s brief because one of the islands, Diego Garcia, is home to a US-UK Military base.
The Tories scored a bit of a coup on Tuesday, when they forced the government to put legislation ratifying the Chagos deal on hold.
It came after Tory peer Lord Callanan tabled an amendment that would have made the government consult the Chagossians before going ahead.
