The government has failed to meet targets on crime, drugs and asylum, the Home Office conceded on Friday.

Official figures revealed the number of crimes for which offenders were being brought to justice had actually fallen to 1,024,654.

The department had also failed to meet demands for removing 30,000 failed asylum seekers-a-year.

There was no change in the number of people using Class A drugs despite a target of achieving a cut of 25 per cent by 2005.

Vehicle crime was down 14 per cent - lower than the 2004 target of 30 per cent set by ministers.

Conservative shadow home secretary Oliver Letwin accused officials of using the terror alert to sneak out the figures.

"Does the Home Office think this is another 'bad news' day? Not only is this assessment two months late, but it has apparently been sneaked out in the hope that no one will see it," he said.

Home Office officials hit back arguing in some cases the targets had been too broad and with asylum improvements had already been made.

The current rate of removals - more than 1,200 a month - was at an all time high.

Officials highlighted the department's successes - including a 37 per cent increase in the number of organised criminal groups disrupted by the police.

"The Conservatives are being disingenuous. This is something which they've been calling for us to publish," said the Home Office.