It is refusing to release data on numbers seized at our borders – despite a six-month battle by the Daily Express.
Angry MPs accused the department of deliberately withholding the information.
We have repeatedly asked under Freedom Of Information laws for figures on the number of migrants intercepted at the UK border on the Continent in the first six months of this year.Our request was made at the height of a summer of migrant chaos in northern France. It should have been answered within 20 working days – but four months later we are still waiting for a response.
The case has now been taken up by the Information Commissioner’s Office.
It has confirmed that the department is in breach of the Freedom of Information Act. leader Paul Nuttall said: “The Home Office’s repeated failure to respond to this perfectly legitimate request is very disturbing.
“The obvious explanation that springs to mind is they have something to cover up – and it won’t be that numbers have plummeted.
“The Daily Express is upholding the freedom of the press to act on behalf of the public in matters of such importance and the Home Office needs to come clean and reveal the truth they appear to wish to hide.”
Tory MP Charlie Elphicke said: “People will rightly want to know how many migrants have tried to break into Britain and how effective the Home Office has been at keeping our border safe and secure.”