§ Baroness Seearasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether a Minister of the Crown authorised the release of information to Conservative Central Office of detailed personal information relating to a Nigerian asylum seeker, Mr. Abiodun Igbinidu; and if not, what form of investigation they propose to undertake into the identity of those responsible.
§ The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Blatch)The Government's policy on the release of information in these circumstances was set out by the then Home Secretary in his reply to a question on 14 January 1993.
Details of individual cases are not discussed unless an applicant or someone acting on their behalf has chosen to make public details of the case and allegations about its consideration. In those circumstances, it is the well established practice of the Home Office to give information in response to enquiries.
This policy has been followed throughout the case to which the noble Baroness refers. Representatives of Mr. Igbinidu chose to make details of his case public. Therefore the Home Office gave details to those who made enquiries, in order to put the record straight.