Ministers do not routinely collect figures on the number of terror suspects being re-arrested for further terror offences.
The Government claimed gathering the statistics would “place a disproportionate burden on the organisations responsible”.
A row flared as Shadow Security Minister Conor McGinn tackled Tory frontbencher Chris Philp over the “astonishing” failure at Home Office questions in the Commons today.
It came after a written parliamentary question in which Mr McGinn asked the Government how many people have been re-arrested after being released on terrorism-related charges.
Security Minister James Brokenshire said: “Information on how many of these are re-arrests after being released on terrorism-related charges is not collected by the Home Office.”
Answering a separate written question, Policing Minister Kit Malthouse said: “As with all crime statistics published by the Home Office, data providers are not required to routinely provide further detail on an individual’s previous arrest and charge history, as to do so would place a disproportionate burden on the organisations responsible, particularly the National Counter-Terrorism Police Operations Centre.”
Labour insisted the figures should be collected to boost national security.
Mr McGinn told the Mirror: “It’s outrageous that ministers are not tracking these vital figures.
“If the Government is serious about keeping our country’s citizens safe, they must have a full picture of terrorism-related activity.
“A key part of that has to be knowing what is being done to monitor and disrupt those who might wish us harm.
“The Home Office must urgently get hold of this information, properly monitor it, and reassure the British public that these mistakes have not put communities in harm’s way.”
Speaking in the Commons on the fourth anniversary of the Westminster terror attack, which left five people dead, he said it was “astonishing” figures do not exist for terror suspects who were “potentially dangerous terrorist suspects”.
He added: “It's a totally unacceptable state of affairs when it comes to the safety and security of the British people.”
Instead of addressing the issue, Home Office Minister Chris Philp accused Labour of trying to stop the deportation of foreign national offenders.
