Amber Rudd admits immigrant removal targets could have been misused

Home Secretary Amber Rudd today admitted that local targets may have been used “inappropriately” as the Government seeks to remove more illegal immigrants from Britain.

She told the Commons that she had demanded a “full picture” of performance assessment systems being used.

Ms Rudd was replying to an urgent question after telling the Commons home affairs committee yesterday that she was not aware of removal targets being used.

She said: “My department has been working to increase the number of illegal migrants we remove. I have never agreed that there should be specific removal targets, and I would never support a policy that puts targets ahead of people.” Then she added: “The immigration arm of the Home Office has been using local targets for internal performance management. These were not published targets, against which performance was assessed. But if they were used inappropriately then I’m clear that this will have to change.”

Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott, who had been granted the urgent question debate, said Ms Rudd should resign as “a matter of honour”.

Ms Rudd said: “I do take seriously my responsibility but I do think I am the person who can put it right.”

Downing Street said the Prime Minister had confidence in her.

No 10 said: “The idea of removal targets set by the Government goes back over a number of decades.” The Prime Minister’s official spokesman cited legislation going back to 1998, after Tony Blair became Prime Minister.

Lucy Moreton, general secretary of the Immigration Service Union, told MPs yesterday that a national target, broken down regionally, had been set to remove people in the UK illegally, and staff were under “increasing pressure” to meet it.

An inspection of removals by the borders and immigration watchdog also said targets were set in 2014-15 and 2015-16, which were split between 19 Immigration Compliance and Enforcement teams across the UK.