UK Ministry Battles Court Order to Share Migrant Crime Stats

The UK government is contesting a court ruling that required it to disclose how many foreign nationals were convicted of crimes in England and Wales. The dispute began when the Centre for Migration Control, a think‑tank, requested data on offences committed by non‑British individuals from 2018 to 2024. They asked that any numbers below five be hidden to protect privacy.

• Ministry of Justice denied the request, citing privacy concerns and a £600 cost limit for freedom‑of‑information work.
• The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) disagreed, saying the ministry had not supplied a solid cost estimate. The ICO warned that small figures could risk identifying people but still required the release of any count of five or more.

The ministry has taken the case to the First‑tier Tribunal, hoping to overturn the ICO’s decision. The move has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties, especially the right‑wing Reform UK. Their leaders claim that both Conservative and Labour governments are colluding to hide criminal data about foreign nationals, threatening a cover‑up.

Reform UK’s shadow home secretary pledged that the government would immediately publish the data if Reform won power. The ministry has denied these accusations and refused to comment on the ongoing proceedings, citing a lack of time for media questions.

The data requested focus on nationality, not immigration status or country of birth. In practice, most non‑British offenders are immigrants who have moved to the UK. Other European countries routinely publish crime statistics by nationality or country of origin, but Britain rarely releases detailed conviction tables. The debate highlights the tension between transparency and privacy in handling sensitive criminal data.