Written questions by Lowe.

Whether HMRC has made an estimate of the number of people working in the informal economy without legal immigration status; and what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of illegal working on the economy.

The government is committed to ensuring the UK border is secure and is increasing enforcement of illegal working practices for those without the right to be here. Furthermore, the government is recruiting an additional 5,500 compliance staff over the next five years as part of our ambitious approach to ensure everyone pays the right tax at the right time

How she calculates the number of people without legal immigration status.

I refer the Honourable Member to the Answer I gave him on 30 January to Question 25047.

What estimate her Department has made of the number of people without legal status living in (a) temporary and (b) informal accommodation; and what discussions she has had with local authorities on understanding the scale of irregular migration.

I refer the Honourable Member to the Answer I gave him on 30 January to Question 25047.

How many immigration detention beds are available; and what steps she is taking to increase capacity.

The Home Office currently operates seven Immigration Removal Centres (IRCs) throughout the UK, (six in England and one in Scotland) and three residential Short-Term Holding Facilities (STHFs) (one in Northern Ireland and two in England). Additionally, the Home Office operates one Pre-Departure Accommodation for families (PDA) at Gatwick. As of 1 June, immigration detention capacity is c2,480 beds. The Home Office are increasing detention spaces to support the Government’s priority to increase returns. This includes reopening and adding initially 290 beds across IRCs at Campsfield and Haslar, with further expansions in the future. The Home Office publishes quarterly data on the daily cost of detention. This can be found on the gov.uk website at: Immigration Enforcement data: Q1 2025 - GOV.UK

If she will make an estimate of the average cost to the public purse of each immigration detention bed.

The Home Office currently operates seven Immigration Removal Centres (IRCs) throughout the UK, (six in England and one in Scotland) and three residential Short-Term Holding Facilities (STHFs) (one in Northern Ireland and two in England). Additionally, the Home Office operates one Pre-Departure Accommodation for families (PDA) at Gatwick. As of 1 June, immigration detention capacity is c2,480 beds. The Home Office are increasing detention spaces to support the Government’s priority to increase returns. This includes reopening and adding initially 290 beds across IRCs at Campsfield and Haslar, with further expansions in the future. The Home Office publishes quarterly data on the daily cost of detention. This can be found on the gov.uk website at: Immigration Enforcement data: Q1 2025 - GOV.UK

If she will take steps to require data sharing between NHS Digital and her Department to help identify illegal migrants.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave him on 6 May to Question 47960.

If she will make an assessment with the Chancellor of the Exchequer of the potential merits of taxing remittances to countries that refuse to accept their returned nationals.

All policy relating to taxation is a matter for the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Whether she plans to increase the annual budget for immigration enforcement in line with projected growth in removals activity.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer presented her Spending Review 2025 to Parliament on Wednesday 11 June 2025.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a public reporting scheme that offers financial rewards for verified reports of illegal migrants.

The Home Office already operates an Immigration Enforcement hotline and provides several other routes for members of the public to report information regarding immigration related crime and/or abuse. Over the past three years we have seen an increase in information received from members of the public – we publish this information on a quarterly basis and it can be found here: Migration transparency data - GOV.UK.

If she will make an estimate of the cost of deporting one million illegal migrants under existing rules for deportations.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave him on 6 May in response to Question 47960.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of initiating a (a) cross-Departmental and (b) UK-wide commission into the number of illegal migrants living in the UK.

I refer the Honourable Member to the Answer I gave him on 30 January to Question 25047.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the total cost to the public purse was of the production of his Department's Diego Garcia Military Base explainer video.

This video was produced in-house by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office communications team. There was therefore no additional cost to making the video.

What assessment her Department has made of the impact of the current VAT registration threshold on (small business (a) growth and (b) turnover management.

At £90,000, the UK has a higher VAT registration threshold than any EU country and the joint highest in the OECD. This means the majority of UK businesses are kept out of the VAT system.

Whether she plans to review the VAT registration threshold.

At £90,000, the UK has a higher VAT registration threshold than any EU country and the joint highest in the OECD. This means the majority of UK businesses are kept out of the VAT system.

What estimate her Department has made of the potential impact of VAT (a) registration and (b) compliance on small businesses.

At £90,000, the UK has a higher VAT registration threshold than any EU country and the joint highest in the OECD. This means the majority of UK businesses are kept out of the VAT system.

If she will make it her policy to enable contractors to determine their own IR35 status.

The off-payroll working rules, also known as IR35, were introduced in 2000. They are designed to ensure that individuals working like employees, but through their own company, pay broadly the same income tax and National Insurance contributions as those who are directly employed.Under the original off-payroll rules contractors were required to assess their own status. HMRC estimated only 10% of those who should be applying the rules in the private and voluntary sectors did so correctly, resulting in widespread non-compliance.The rules were reformed for the public sector in 2017 and for the private sector in 2021. The responsibility for operating the rules was shifted from the worker to the entity that engages the worker. As a result of the reform, HMRC estimate an additional £4.2 billion has been received in tax revenues, overall, in the period October 2019 to March 2023.On 27 February 2025, HMRC published updated analysis on the impacts of the 2021 off-payroll working rules reform in the private and voluntary sectors. It can be found here: Update to the impacts of the 2021 off-payroll working rules reform in the private and voluntary sectors - GOV.UK

What recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of off-payroll working (IR35) rules on the self-employed sector since December 2023.

The off-payroll working rules, also known as IR35, were introduced in 2000. They are designed to ensure that individuals working like employees, but through their own company, pay broadly the same income tax and National Insurance contributions as those who are directly employed.Under the original off-payroll rules contractors were required to assess their own status. HMRC estimated only 10% of those who should be applying the rules in the private and voluntary sectors did so correctly, resulting in widespread non-compliance.The rules were reformed for the public sector in 2017 and for the private sector in 2021. The responsibility for operating the rules was shifted from the worker to the entity that engages the worker. As a result of the reform, HMRC estimate an additional £4.2 billion has been received in tax revenues, overall, in the period October 2019 to March 2023.On 27 February 2025, HMRC published updated analysis on the impacts of the 2021 off-payroll working rules reform in the private and voluntary sectors. It can be found here: Update to the impacts of the 2021 off-payroll working rules reform in the private and voluntary sectors - GOV.UK

What assessment her her Department has made of the potential impact of off-payroll working (IR35) rules on (a) small business productivity, (b) contract availability and (c) self-employment rates.

The off-payroll working rules, also known as IR35, were introduced in 2000. They are designed to ensure that individuals working like employees, but through their own company, pay broadly the same income tax and National Insurance contributions as those who are directly employed.Under the original off-payroll rules contractors were required to assess their own status. HMRC estimated only 10% of those who should be applying the rules in the private and voluntary sectors did so correctly, resulting in widespread non-compliance.The rules were reformed for the public sector in 2017 and for the private sector in 2021. The responsibility for operating the rules was shifted from the worker to the entity that engages the worker. As a result of the reform, HMRC estimate an additional £4.2 billion has been received in tax revenues, overall, in the period October 2019 to March 2023.On 27 February 2025, HMRC published updated analysis on the impacts of the 2021 off-payroll working rules reform in the private and voluntary sectors. It can be found here: Update to the impacts of the 2021 off-payroll working rules reform in the private and voluntary sectors - GOV.UK

How many (a) contractors and (b) freelancers have been subject to off-payroll working (IR35) rules in each of the last three tax years; and what estimate she has made of the revenue raised.

The off-payroll working rules, also known as IR35, were introduced in 2000. They are designed to ensure that individuals working like employees, but through their own company, pay broadly the same income tax and National Insurance contributions as those who are directly employed.Under the original off-payroll rules contractors were required to assess their own status. HMRC estimated only 10% of those who should be applying the rules in the private and voluntary sectors did so correctly, resulting in widespread non-compliance.The rules were reformed for the public sector in 2017 and for the private sector in 2021. The responsibility for operating the rules was shifted from the worker to the entity that engages the worker. As a result of the reform, HMRC estimate an additional £4.2 billion has been received in tax revenues, overall, in the period October 2019 to March 2023.On 27 February 2025, HMRC published updated analysis on the impacts of the 2021 off-payroll working rules reform in the private and voluntary sectors. It can be found here: Update to the impacts of the 2021 off-payroll working rules reform in the private and voluntary sectors - GOV.UK

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the policy paper entitled UK-EU Summit: Explainer, updated on 19 May 2025, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential impact on (a) UK fish exports and (b) domestic fish processing businesses.

Over 70% of all UK seafood by value is exported to the EU. Removing the need for Export Health Certificates and border checks saves time and money – especially for fresh and live seafood that needs to reach markets quickly. This agreement has secured practical wins for the seafood sector – cutting costs, reducing delays, and protecting key quota, and providing business certainty – while also unlocking broader economic benefits that support UK growth and livelihoods.