Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 18 June 2025 to Question 58584 on Undocumented Migrants: Biometrics, for how long is biometric data retained when it is collected from individuals who have entered the UK unlawfully.

In most cases the Home Office usually retains biometrics (facial image and fingerprints) taken from foreign nationals, including people who have entered the UK unlawfully, for a period of up to 15 years, but may do so for longer in certain circumstances.