Home Office apologises over Windrush data blunder

The Home Office has apologised after making a data protection blunder when circulating information about the Government’s Windrush compensation scheme.

An “administrative error” meant that emails sent to some individuals and organisations who had registered an interest in being kept informed about the launch of the scheme included email addresses of other recipients.

Five batches of emails, each with 100 recipients, were affected. No other personal data was included.

Immigration Minister Caroline Nokes disclosed the error in a written statement to the House of Commons.

She said: “Regrettably, in promoting the scheme via email to interested parties, an administrative error was made which has meant data protection requirements have not been met, for which the Home Office apologises unreservedly.”

Ms Nokes added that a recall was commenced as soon as the problem had been identified.

An internal review will be conducted and the department has voluntarily notified the Information Commissioner’s Office.

Details of the compensation scheme were unveiled last week.

It aims to “right the wrongs” suffered by those affected by the Windrush scandal.

Up to 15,000 eligible claims totalling between £120 million and £310 million are expected to be lodged, according to the Home Office’s “central planning assumption”.