Home Office accused of 'rank incompetence' over Windrush compensation scheme

John Spellar said when dealing with constituents claims he had been met with delays and escalating charges, documents "not returned and often lost", and correspondence taking "forever".

Speaking in the Commons, the Labour MP for Warley told Ministers to get a grip of the problems instead of making "repetitious speeches about how tough they are going to be".

He said the Windrush scandal was "just the most extreme example of the indifference and rank incompetence endemic in today’s Home Office".

Home Secretary Priti Patel has announced that the minimum payment through the compensation scheme will rise from £250 to £10,000, and the maximum from £10,000 to £100,000.

Responding to Mr Spellar, Ms Patel said: "Windrush was a stain – let us face it – on the Department and the Government, and we are now working through that; we want to right the wrongs."

She vowed to bring about the "fundamental change" of not treating "people like cases", and added: "It is taking time, and there is no quick fix.

"I give him every single assurance that I will continue to work night and day to change our systems and make sure we put people first."

Mr Spellar said he has written to the Chair of the Public Accounts Committee to push for "a proper investigation into gross incompetence and inefficiency at the Home Office".

The changes to the scheme will apply retrospectively, meaning those previously given less than £10,000 can get top-up payments.

The Windrush scandal mainly impacted UK citizens originally from the Caribbean.

They were granted indefinite leave to remain in 1971, but many of them were children who had travelled on their parents' passports.

As a result, many were unable to prove they had the right to live in the country when the Home Office started "hostile environment" immigration policies – demanding the showing of documentation – in 2012.