A Home Office minister has denied issuing instruction to officials to "soft pedal" on tackling illegal immigrants.

Beverley Hughes made the statement in the Commons on Monday after criticism by shadow home secretary David Davis.

Davis had highlighted reports that the government was "deliberately ignoring illegal immigrants who would otherwise claim asylum".

He suggested that an immigration service directive may have been implemented calling on staff not to clamp down on illegal immigrants.

But Hughes said she "absolutely and categorically" rejected claims the government ordered officials to "soft pedal on illegal immigration in order to protect the asylum target".

"The evidence does not support that claim at all," she said, pointing to figures showing higher levels of deportations.

Investigation call

Keeping up the pressure on illegal immigration, Davis also called for an investigation into the Morecambe Bay cocklepicking tragedy that would be empowered to examine "any other policies of soft pedalling action on illegal immigration".

Hughes said an investigation was already under way.

"Again, I absolutely reject that there has been any ministerial instruction to soft pedal on illegal immigration.  It would be completely counter-productive," the minister added.

"Clearly the way in which operational managers chose to deploy resources and make operational decisions about where the need is greatest is for managers.

"But the overall picture is that the resources have increased, the number of operations have increased and the number of removals of illegal immigrants has increased."