Ministers have drafted legislation enabling the Information Commissioner’s Office to carry out inspections without notice

The data watchdog will gain the power to make surprise raids on companies suspected of involvement in the illegal harvesting of personal data.

In response to the Cambridge Analytica scandal, ministers have drafted legislation enabling the Information Commissioner’s Office to carry out inspections without notice or a warrant.

MPs said it was “ludicrous” that Elizabeth Denham, the commissioner, had to wait for days to obtain permission to raid the headquarters of Cambridge Analytica, which was accused of obtaining the personal data of tens of millions of Facebook users without consent.

During the hiatus, reporters saw storage crates being removed from the company’s Mayfair premises. Ms Denham said the consultancy had failed to comply with her requests for access, although its spokesman denied this. The company