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Undocumented Migrants

Asked by Rupert LoweRestore BritainHome OfficeTabled Answered 8 January 2026UIN 95743

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she first became aware of the existence of the total absconder pool dataset.

Answered by Alex Norris

The Secretary of State for the Home Department has no plans to commission an independent review into the Department's handling, recording, and disclosure of absconder data. The Department already undertakes:

  • Regular internal audits and quality assurance checks to monitor data integrity and reporting standards.
  • Compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, including data protection legislation and parliamentary accountability.
  • Existing independent scrutiny mechanisms, such as oversight by the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration and parliamentary committees, which provide assurance on operational performance and data handling.

The Department remains committed to maintaining robust and transparent processes, ensuring compliance with all relevant standards and obligations. It is also dedicated to continuous improvement and will review and strengthen its procedures whenever necessary.

The Government attaches great importance to the effective and timely handling of Written Parliamentary Questions. Departmental performance on Written Parliamentary Questions is published at the end of each session by the Procedure Committee and is therefore publicly available.

All Parliamentary Questions are reviewed and cleared by Ministers prior to publication including those referring to absconders.

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