Home Office interest in migrant records dates back to Theresa May

A memorandum of understanding published in 2016 required the NHS to hand over non-clinical records

• Migrants to get Home Office reference number on NHS England records

As much as the Home Office has always insisted that safeguards are in place, its interest in the records of migrants using the NHS has long been highly controversial.

True to form, government spokespeople say There's nothing to see here" when asked about the move - made with no fanfare - to order the NHS to input a Home Office reference number into the records of relevant patients".