London: A giant new government database is being flooded with tip-offs from the public about illegal immigrants at large in the UK.

Calls are being received at the rate of one every six minutes — the equivalent of 100,000 allegations every year — raising huge concerns about the true scale of illegal working in the UK.

This is despite the fact that the database, the National Allegations Database, has not yet been publicly launched. The majority of the intelligence received so far is considered to be genuine by immigration officers in charge of the system.

In only a few months, they have carried out 900 separate raids — and secured 700 arrests. Ministers hope the system will finally allow them to get a grip on illegal working. Campaigners welcomed the setting up of the database, which was revealed in a letter to MPs by the chief executive of the UK Border Agency.

But they warned that finding the illegal immigrants was only one part of the problem, as once caught, illegal workers can claim asylum or lodge human rights appeals to stay in the UK.

The database, which could receive its public launch by the end of July, will store intelligence offered by members of the public and employers.

25,600 allegations

Last autumn, the prime minister said he wanted the public to help the fight against illegal working by ringing the Crimestoppers hotline. Between mid-December and the end of March this year, approximately 25,600 allegations — or 230 every day — were received and passed on to the National Allegations Database.

Some 16,000 contained enough information to be sent to immigration teams to carry out full investigations. They are being sorted into categories, with the highest-risk suspects at the top of the list.

This includes information relating to counter-terrorism, threat to life, firearms, weapons, sexual offences, vulnerable adults and children, possession of large quantities of drugs and drugs factories, and child-trafficking.

Sir Andrew Green, chairman of Migrationwatch, said: "This is an astonishing response from the public to an invitation that the government has barely mentioned. It is a pointer to the massive number of illegal migrants in Britain."

— Daily Mail