To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate of the number of migrants entering the UK illegally he used when developing budgets for 2021-22.
Answered on
22 November 2021
As the department responsible for the migration and border systems, the Home Office produces a quarterly publication of immigration statistics: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release.
These immigration statistics do not include information on the total illegal migrant population as the government does not make any official estimates. By its very nature, it is not possible to know the exact size of the illegal migrant population, or the total number of people who arrive to the UK illegally.
HM Treasury uses the latest immigration statistics and forecasts when setting department budgets, including the Home Office budget for 2021-22.