Home Office is ‘Dysfunctional’ Claims Sacked Borders and Immigration Inspector

David Neal, former independent chief inspector of borders and immigration, taken on July 21, 2022. PA Media

The former inspector of borders and immigration has described the Home Office as “dysfunctional” and needing reform.

Last month David Neal was fired as the independent chief inspector of borders and immigration (ICIBI) after Home Secretary James Cleverly became infuriated by a series of leaks to the press.

But in an interview with the BBC’s “Today” podcast, Mr. Neal said, “my conscience is absolutely clear” and claimed he had “paid the price” for highlighting failures with the system.

Mr. Neal said, “The Home Office is dysfunctional, the Home Office needs reform.”

He appeared to suggest the problem was institutional and pre-dated the appointment of Mr. Cleverly, who took over from Suella Braverman last year.

When Mr. Cleverly appeared before the home affairs committee in January, he was asked by Conservative MP Tim Loughton why Mr. Neal’s contract was not being renewed and why so many of his reports had not been published.

Mr. Cleverly said he had met Mr. Neal the week before and he told the committee, “The work he does is important, we do take it seriously, and ensuring that we do respond in a timely manner is something that the chair of the committee has raised, and it’s something that I take seriously, not just as a professional courtesy.”

After Mr. Neal’s dismissal, the Home Office published 13 of his reports on the same day as the Angiolini Inquiry published its first report into the failures to vet Wayne Couzens, who was a serving police officer when he abducted, raped and murdered Sarah Everard in 2021.

The Labour Party suggested the timing of the move was deliberate and accused the government of seeking to “bury bad news.”

‘There Will be no Scrutiny of Small Boats’

In his BBC interview Mr. Neal was unequivocal, “I’ve been sacked. So there will be no scrutiny of small boats, there will be no scrutiny of adults at risk in detention which is a controversial area, there will be no publishing of the Rwanda material.”

Mr. Neal, a consultancy director with a military background appointed to the role by then-Home Secretary Priti Patel in March 2021, was due to end his tenure on March 21, 2024.

During his time in post, the former borders and immigration watchdog had repeatedly raised concerns the Home Office was too slow in publishing his reports. He had also questioned why his contract had not been renewed for a second term, which had been the custom with his predecessors.

Mr. Neal also revealed a quarter of care workers were in the country illegally.

He told The Times last month the Home Office had issued 275 visas to a care home that did not exist and 1,234 to a company that stated it had only four staff when given a license to operate.

Mr. Neal also highlighted failures to check “high-risk” flight arrivals at one UK airport.

Home Office Says Inspector’s Reports are Only a ‘Snapshot’

A Home Office spokesman said, “It is the job of the independent chief inspector of borders and immigration to identify challenges in our system, including those proposed by Border Force, so we can take action to address them.”

“But by their nature, each of the ICIBI reports will only be a snapshot of what is going on and will not reflect the changes we make as a result of their findings,” he added.

The spokesman said, “A programme of work is already well under way to reform and strengthen Border Force’s capabilities. This is delivering on the prime minister’s pledge to make our structures and resources as strong as possible.

“The work the Home Office, Border Force and the NCA (National Crime Agency) is doing with international partners to stop the boats is another part of our Border Force reform, and is already having a return with small boat arrivals down by a third when Mr Neal was sacked for leaking sensitive information he was told was inaccurate,” he added.

PA Media contributed to this report.